hearts and rockets
by echoingsouls
Summary: SasuSaku Month 2014. Day 31: sasuke and three wishes that got him to where he is today.
1. a welcomed disrtaction

happy sasusaku month, everyone!

**title: **a welcomed distraction

**summary: **in which sasuke proves that not all distractions have to be bad.

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**Prompt: **The Smell of Fresh Paint

* * *

Sakura huffs out in annoyance as she stares down at all the unopened paint cans.

It's been exactly one week since she had moved into her new apartment, and because of her hectic schedule throughout said week, today was the one day she was presented with to finish such a tedious task. However, looking down at all the paint cans she wonders if she can just not do this, perhaps get some sleep, do something _productive_ on her day off.

But being that Ino was her best friend, and said best friend had a knack for giving things(and people) make-overs, she insisted on helping her paint her room, as well as decorate it once they finished. It didn't even have anything to do with Sakura not being able to get the task done on her own, Ino had dubbed the duty as one of a best friend, something about plenty of helpful ideas coming from (what she called)God's gift to planet earth; Pintrest.

However, Ino had a forgotten all about her mani-pedi appointment and now Sakura was forced to wait for her loud best friend.

But waiting seemed a bit dumb because that way she'd never get anything done, so she had decided to just go ahead and start. Besides, should she make a mistake, she's positive Ino(who claims to be an A+ painter) would fix it.

So she changed into a pair of old shorts and a white t-shirt and moved all the painting supplies to her empty room, fully prepared to get some work done. She'd show Ino just how useful she truly was, after all, this was her room, she'd be damned it she let Ino brag about being the one who painted it.

She places her pink hair in a high ponytail, clipping her bangs to the side before she starts to cover her floor in plastic tarp, making sure the edges are taped down so she won't spill anything past it. Then, with determination written in her eyes, she opens a can of paint and stirs it until the color mixes well. She pours it slowly into the tray Ino said they'd need, she takes a roller out of the plastic bag of supplies, dipping in into the paint.

She then moves quickly over to the wall, and with her tongue sticking out, runs the roller down the side of the wall, watching as the pale pink color begins to cover the once-white walls. She repeats the process several times, watching as the amount covered becomes slightly greater.

However, it only last a few more minutes before the doorbell ring.

With a grin she props the roller in the pray and rushes to the door, ready to show Ino that she isn't truly needed. However, when she swings the door open, a smirk on her lips and an insult on her tongue, Ino isn't the one standing there.

To her surprise it's Sasuke, looking slightly annoyed, and in his hands he holds a small cactus with a tiny flower at the top.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Tch," he frowns, shoving the plant towards her, "here."

She takes the plant carefully, examining it, "A cactus?"

"House warming gift," is all he says as Sakura moves out-of-the-way to let him in.

"Oh, then thank you," she smiles, "would you like some tea?"

"No," he looks at her, inspecting her clothes with an arched brow, "what are you doing?"

She grins sheepishly, scratching the back of her neck, "painting my room."

"Need help?"

She snorts, a smirk on her lips, "I don't want to offend you, Sasuke-kun, but this isn't _children's_ work."

He gives her a smirk of his own before nodding in the direction of her room, "lead the way, then."

She laughs, walking over to the table and setting the small cactus on it, before she leads the way to her bedroom. They enter the room and he grimaces at the sight of the color that she's chosen for her room, but it's to be expected since Sakura never had a thing for dark colors.

Sasuke thinks it's a shame.

He inspects the wall she has started to paint before grinning smugly, "you can't paint, Sakura."

She waves him off, walking over to the roller and tray, "excuse you, Sasuke-kun, that way right there is the product of my amazing skills."

"You know, even _Naruto_ can paint better than that," he tells her, smirk still on his lips.

"Hey," she snaps, eyes narrowing, "don't you_ dare _mention that backstabbing traitor in this room."

"You know, you're going to have to get over that sooner or later," he sighs, "you're being childish."

"Hmph, that's rich coming from you," she rolls her eyes, "besides, you don't even know me."

Sasuke rolls his eyes, "Sakura, I've known you since we were five."

"Whatever, Sasuke-kun," she waves him off, "pick up a roller and help, unless you wanna back out now, I wouldn't blame you."

He watches as she resumes painting, before going over to the plastic bag filled with painting supplies, "Hn."

In all honesty, Sakura is grateful for the extra company, if Sasuke helps her out she's positive she'll get a lot more done, because knowing Ino she'll take another hour to get here. She paints for a few seconds before she casts a glance at Sasuke, who's painting the wall pretty efficiently, and smiles to herself, who knew he'd be the one to come visit first?

Shrugging, she continues painting the wall she had chosen, humming softly to herself as she continues to cover the white walls.

They work in silence neither one saying anything to the other, but despite the lack of a conversation, Sakura thinks it's nice. In about thirty minutes they get a whole side of the wall covered in paint, and she can almost see the look on Ino's face when she sees Sakura's(and Sasuke's, but she won't know that part) hard work. She'll make sure to thank him properly, perhaps even offer to buy him dinner, well, that was the plan until she feels something cold run clear across her butt.

With a gasp, she twists her upper body around to see the pink streak that now covers her butt before looking up at Sasuke in alarm.

"What are you doing?"

"You were in the way," he says nonchalantly.

"Sasuke-kun," she grits her teeth, "that wasn't nice."

"And whoever said that I was nice?" he smirks, before whirling around and returning to putting pain on the wall instead of on her.

But Sakura doesn't like to be outdone, especially not by egotistical, self-indulgent, inconsiderate, handsome jerks. So, she quietly dips her roller into her pale pink paint before walking over to him, however as she makes to run it across his back side, he swivels around and the pain ends up running clear across his chest.

She snorts at the look he gives her before his eyes narrow, and he runs his own roller down her chest. So, in retaliation she takes hers and runs it down his arm, and in retaliation to that he runs it down the side of her leg. Gritting her teeth she runs back over to her tray and dips the roller, before running back over to him, but before she can make a hit, she's pressed up against the wall currently covered in pale pink paint.

"Sasuke-kun," she snaps, turning around to look at how much paint was wiped off.

He merely smirks, "Hn."

So without warning she whirls back around and chucks the roller at his head, laughing loudly when it smacks on the right side of his face. Her laughing lasts for short seconds because suddenly he's looking at her like a predator would its prey, she frowns, raising her hands up in defense.

"I'm sorry, truce, truce," she laughs nervously.

"You know better than anyone I don't forgive."

And with a movement so quick she didn't even see it, he presses her against the paint coated wall, and she can only squeak as he towers over her.

"I get even."

"Sasuke-kun," she laughs nervously, "that's a lot of paint you got there, you should probably be more careful."

He looks down at her lips before his gaze travels back up to her eyes, he smirks, "Sakura."

Instead of begging for mercy, she smirks, "You've got paint on your lips." And with her smirk still on her lips, she swipes her paint coated thumb across his bottom lip, laughing at his expression.

"Yeah?" he asks, leaning down, "so do you."

"You better no-"

But the words die in her mouth when his lips claim hers and suddenly every rational thought slips away from her, butterflies swarming in her stomach. She buries her paint covered hands into his inky black hair when he deepens the kiss and she thinks that this is how painting rooms should always go;

A paint war and an intense make-out session, once said war was over, with nothing but the lingering scent of fresh paint to accompany them, with a boy she's loved all her life.

* * *

**epilogue**:

* * *

She sighs as she turns the knob, finding that the door is actually open.

Rolling her eyes she quickly goes inside, shutting it behind her, leave it to Sakura to move into a new neighborhood, where she knows no one and what they're like, and leave the_ freaking _door open. Seriously, Ino frowns, the girl should learn how to be a lot less trusting of others and a bit more cautious.

She places the bags of food she brought, and her bag on the table, and notes the small cactus placed at the edge, where'd that come from, anyways?"

Ino expects to find Sakura sprawled on the floor of her bedroom reading some magazine, waiting for her so they can get started on painting her room. Ino doesn't blame the girl, after all, she's quite the expert when it comes to these things.

Pintrest truly is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

However, as she moves down the hall towards the pinkette's room the smell of fresh paint hits her unexpectedly, has she already started? That's very unlike Sakura, to be quite honest, normally she'd wait for Ino to get stuff done.

As she comes to the door of her room she expects to find Sakura standing there, trying her hardest to get one single spot painted to perfection, completely drenched in paint to show how much of a hard time she's having. But when she stops at the threshold of her room she is met with a completely different sight.

Sasuke, who appears to be completely covered in paint, has her pinned to a paint coated wall, and it seems that they are joined in a very heated lip lock(if his wandering hands tell her anything).

Ino's brow arches as she sighs, shaking her head and turning on her heel, she'll just sit in the kitchen and hope things don't get too heated, she's hungry after all. Knowing those two they won't be done for a really long time, because that right there is a long time coming, something for the books.

After all, those two have fumbled around each other for years now, sneaky glances and smiles when they think no one is looking. So, this happening is like a milestone, it's truly great, _wonderful_, everything she knew it would be.

With a smirk she opens up her twitter, she'll have to let everyone else know about this one, too.


	2. expect the unexpected

**author's note:** had a bit too much fun with this prompt.

**title: **expect the unexpected

**summary: **in which sakura is hysterical and sasuke doesn't quite understand the meaning behind 'being late'

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**day two: **late

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Sasuke has been married to Sakura for a whole year, and before that they have dated for three years. That means that by now he should be skilled, practically an _expert_, at deciphering what she's saying to him, or what mood she's in without her having to come out and tell him.

But at this moment, he muses watching her with narrowed eyes, he doesn't understand at all.

"Sakura, what do you mean you're _late_?"

He can sense agitation in her green eyes as she chews on her bottom lip, and fidgets with her hands, "It's exactly what it means, I'm _late_."

"For what?" he asks, placing his paperwork aside, giving her his undivided attention, heaven forbid he give her a reason to be even more upset, "do you have a meeting of some sort with someone?"

"No, idiot," she snaps, green eyes flashing in anger, "I'm late, Sasuke-kun,_ late_!"

He looks at her blankly, not picking up on her words at all, but he can, however, sense the anger that's slowly coursing through her veins, "you're late..._late_?"

She breathes out, a smile forming on her lips, "Yes, Sasuke-kun, I'm late."

"H-How late?" he asks slowly, hoping he's going the right way with this, if not, may God have mercy on his soul.

"Well, three weeks actually," she giggles, clasping her hands together.

"Three weeks?" he whistles low, "that's pretty late, Sakura."

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" she grins, "so, what do you think, Sasuke-kun?"

It only makes sense that when it seemed like he'd get out of this conversation with dignity and every single bone in place, some curve be thrown at him. Right now he was silently cursing his cursed clan, he's positive this is all because of them.

Defeated, he runs a hand over his face, "What are you late for again?"

He sighs, opening his eyes and watching as the smile slips from her lips, the happiness draining right out of her eyes, her fists clench and she's gritting her teeth, looking at him as if she wants to spill his blood. He can tell he's about to be manhandled, and he also knows that he'll probably have to get healed at the hospital by some other doctor later today.

Which means that the nosy villagers, and his annoying teammates(namely the dobe) will see him, battered and bruised at the hands of his wife, and he's positive he'll become the laughing stalk of the village for that afternoon. The dobe will make a few remarks about how Sakura abuses him, and Sasuke will threaten him but won't be taken serious due to the black eye he's sporting.

The good ones have the most tragic falls, it seems.

"_Nevermind,_" she finally screeches.

And this, Sasuke realizes with wide eyes, is a Sakura he's not used to, because she buries her face in her hands and begins to sob, instead of resorting to pummel him into the ground. He's never liked hearing her cry, it makes him feel completely incompetent, and it just doesn't bode well when her friends hear about it. His arms reach towards her, prepared to comfort her and explain that he doesn't mean to be an ignorant jerk, he just doesn't know what it means to be "late".

Instead she moves away from him and wails louder, "You never understand, _idiot_."

"Sakura-"

"I'm_ late_!" she yells at him, cutting off his last sentence, "I'm _freaking_ late, Sasuke-kun, and you don't even care."

"I care," he assures her, reaching for her again, "just...just _please_, tell me what's wrong."

"I just told you," she sobs, "you never listen to me, I'm late, I'm very much_ late_."

"Sakura," he tries again, but she cuts him off with a question.

"Sasuke-kun, do you not care?"

He sighs, his eyes growing soft as he reaches for her once more, "I care."

She looks down, whispering softly, "Then please show me, show me you care."

"I'm sorr-"

"It's like we're not even married," she clings to him tighter, "it's like you don't love me."

He frowns then, making another move to reach for her, but this time he doesn't allow her to swat him away. He pulls her into his arms, and presses his lips to her forehead, arms wrapping around her smaller form tightly, so, she has no room to move away from him easily.

He sighs softly, squeezing her tighter against him, "you know I do, I do love you."

"Then why don't you care that I'm late," she asks softly, "it's important to me, it's supposed to be important to you, to _us_."

He sighs, pressing his lips to her forehead once more, "I just...I don't know what you mean by 'being late', Sakura."

He expects more wailing, name calling, perhaps a couple of life threatening blows, but instead he hears her sniffle before she breaks out into laughter. With an incredulous look on his face he watches as she removes her head from his chest and pulls away from him to examine his face properly.

"Oh_ my,_" she giggles behind her hand, "when you said you didn't know you actually meant that you _didn't_ know."

He sighs, seems he might be leaving in one piece, but not with his dignity intact, "No, I don't know what that's code for, Sakura."

"Hmm," she giggles, "seems the all mighty captain of the police force _doesn't_ know everything."

"Sakura-"

She smiles, wrapping her arms around his waist, "Hm, well it means you're going to be a daddy."

He smiles for a brief second, happy that she's feeling better, and she's not crying, before his world comes to a screeching halt. He looks down at her quickly, so quick his head snaps, did she just-

"That's what I meant when I said I'm late," she tells him, hugging him a bit tighter, "and I wanted you to be happy because you've always wanted to restore your clan."

His shock is replaced in an instant at her words and he pulls her tighter against him. He sighs softly, bending down to kiss the top of her head, a small smile forming on his lips, and he can't help but imagine all the wonderful things he'll get to do when his child his born.

_Their_ child.

"I love you," he hears her say.

"Aa."

_I love you too._


	3. i'm falling

almost forgot, ehe, enjoy. this is also the known as the prompt that didn't quite come out like i wanted it to, sigh, i have a lot of those it seems.

**title: **i'm falling

**summary: **because you are too beautiful, too precious, and I will only taint you.

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**day three: **Phobia

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She's afraid to touch him.

It's not because she's afraid of him, nor because she thinks he's someone dangerous who will do nothing but cause her harm. She doesn't think that he'll kill her on the stop once her guard is dropped, she doesn't think he could ever do such a thing, even if she does deserve it.

She's afraid to touch him because back in Iron when he'd lost his mind and when she'd become desperate, she remembers vividly, the look he had on his face when he turned around to catch her with a kunai poised at his back. He had been furious, dark eyes laced with anger she'd never seen directed at her before.

But she knew that if you looked close enough, past the rage, she'd find another emotion lodged in there, and you'd see that, that emotion was far greater than the one of anger.

His gaze had told her that he couldn't believe that she was the one who was doing this, that she, the person who claimed to love him was the one who was trying to kill him. His eyes had held a large amount of disbelief behind the anger and the insanity and it had made her stomach churn.

That's why she doesn't touch him, doesn't allow herself to do so, because she doesn't deserve it.

And because she fears the look he'll get on his face when he does, she doesn't want him to look her like she's a danger to his life. She doesn't want to make him feel uncomfortable around her, she doesn't want to end up destroying everything she's managed to build up.

She can't afford to lose the small amount of trust he has in her, because if she messes up once more, she's positive he'll turn around and run, leave her there alone, he'll go away and never return.

So she refrains from doing what she most desperately wants to do, and keeps her hands to herself. She makes sure that the distance between them is always a large one, never too little, because after her betrayal the last thing she's allowed to do is touch, or be too close.

That's why even now, even as he sleeps soundly next to her she doesn't touch, doesn't think to touch. She'll ruin him, and Sasuke, she knows he is pure, he's too pure and too precious. If she gives in and runs her hand across his face, she'll taint him, taint him like she did all those years ago.

"_Sakura_."

She pauses, looking down at his face, his eye lids are shut and for a second she believes that he was merely sleep talking but as she tentatively reaches a hand to remove the bangs, being careful not to touch his skin his hand shoots up and closes around her wrist.

And he pulls and she falls and he's not understanding the situation, is he?

She bites her lower lip, pushing upwards, desperately trying to create distance between them but his large hand keeps her there, keeps her from moving away like she knows she should. His eyes snap open and for a minute she thinks she sees his crestfallen face.

"What's wrong."

Never a question, never.

"Nothing."

"Why do you always move away when I try to touch you?" he asks, his voice a whisper, "why won't you-"

"I have to go home now, okay?" she whispers, pulling her wrist out of his hand and scrambling out of the bed.

She's not sure why she even comes anymore, this is wrong, on so many levels to stay here when she was the one who put a kunai to his back with every single intention of killing him right where he stood, just because he was too lost and she was too late to save him.

But he doesn't let her leave through the door, standing right at the threshold and it aches, she thinks, it aches to not have him understood. To not have him hold her mistake over her head like he should be doing, he shouldn't let this all go so lightly.

"Why do you keep running away from me?" he asks.

She doesn't answer, merely tries to step around him but he moves right along with her, "Enough,_ Sasuke_."

Not 'Sasuke-kun' because she doesn't deserve to be so familiar with him after that.

"Sakura," he frowns, his head dropping, bangs covering his face, "I know I've made mistakes but I'm trying."

And she's shocked to hear that coming from his mouth, he thinks she's acting this way because she's holding things over his head? She frowns, he couldn't be farther away from the truth, he's done nothing wrong, she wants to tell him, nothing that could warrant her hate.

"I don't want to talk about this," she settles for instead, "understood?"

"No, I don't understand," he frowns, reaching out towards her, "why are you doing this?"

She flinches when his hand lands on her wrist and he draws back, dark eyes suddenly filled with confusion, "Why do I scare you?"

She shakes her head slowly, "y-you don't scare me."

She steps back, noticing how the distance they once had was dwindling away into nothing. But she should've known, Sasuke's always been stubborn, she should've known he'd never listen, after all, he truly never listens to her.

"Then why won't you let me touch you?" he asks in a shaky voice, "why is that every time I want to hold you, you run off with a half-assed excuse?"

"You don't understand," she tells him.

"Then make me understand, damned it," he snaps, "Sakura, I can't fix this if you won't let me."

"There's nothing to fix, nothing, nothing, _nothing_!" she chants.

She can feel the tears gathering at her eyes, she knows that the longer she hears him talk and blame himself she'll break down and she'll want to hold him. She can't, doesn't he get that? Why can't he understand her for once, she's no good, not good enough, never, not after what she did.

She makes to tell him to leave her alone but before she can do that she finds herself pinned to their bed, and he's staring down at her and God, it's suffocating and it's amazing and how she wishes she could just pull him down and hold him. Tell him she loves him and that's sorry for what she did, sorry that she ever thought that was the only way out for him and for her.

She wants to but she can't, she can't because she doesn't deserve his forgiveness.

"I love you," he breathes out, his eyes boring into hers.

And she can't take it, it's not fair, "Sasuke."

"I love you and if you hate me," he pauses, searching her face, "it won't matter, I love you."

She can feel the tears streaming quickly down her cheeks, but they're hardly present when he's looking at her like that.

So she cries and cries and in the midst of her sobbing she utters the words, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to."

Her hands come up to wipe away the fallen tears but before she reaches them, his thumb is already gliding downwards, where the tear streaks are. And she looks and notes that he's looking at her like she's something fragile, someone who should never be sad, someone important.

There's determination in his eyes as he swoops down and pulls her into his arms, not fully resting his body weight on her. And she hears him breathing in and she can't understand why he'd want to have her so close to him.

"Hug me."

She blinks, her arms coming up slowly, hesitantly but she can't do it, no, that's against everything.

"No," she replies softly.

And instead of pushing himself off, instead of being angry or upset he merely lifts his head and places his forehead against her own. His dark eyes bore into her own and she doesn't know what to make of the soft expression he has on his face, she doesn't know how to react to this side of Sasuke.

The most surprising side of him.

"I know," he whispers, his lips inches away from her own, "I know why you're doing this."

"You-"

"No, _listen,_" he frowns, his eyes never leaving hers, "you think you lost your right after what happened in Iron, don't you? You think I'll be disgusted, afraid and distraught at the thought of being too close to you."

"Sasuke-"

"I said listen," he snaps, brows furrowing, "you don't, you don't get to be that way when I'm _this_ way, hell, if anyone deserves to be treated with disgust it's not you."

She blinks, eyes widening, "Sasuke."

"Isn't it enough that I love you, Sakura? Isn't it enough that I want to be with you, that I don't give a damn about what happened back then, that I won't ever care," he hisses.

"Stop it," she grits her teeth.

"Yeah, you tried to kill me but damn it, Sakura, I tried to kill you_ too_."

The tears fall once again and she's at a loss of words, because he's always been too stubborn for his own good. He's always managed to tear down her resolve like it was nothing, like those walls she builds up are nothing short of pathetic.

"I love you," she finally whispers, "so much it hurts."

He presses his lips to hers; small and quick before he wraps his arms around hers tighter and whispers incoherent words into her hair.

And it's amazing, she thinks, to think they've both come this far despite all the circumstances and all the conflicts. So she buries her face into his hair, listening to his soft whispers, before she wraps her arms around him tightly.

"Never let go," he whispers, "please, don't ever let me go."

And she supposes for now this will be enough.

"I won't, I promise."


	4. finally

here's day four, I might end up updating day five today as well since I _might_ be going on a mini-vacation but we'll see if I can just do so tomorrow. enjoy

**title: **finally

**summary: **Her arms wrap around him instantly, burying her face deeper into his shoulder, her voice soft and almost inaudible, "Finally."

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**day four: **There Was No Warning

* * *

He returned home on a September afternoon, the wind was slight colder and the green leaves on trees were starting to change their color.

His team, or rather his former team, was behind him asking question upon question about the village hidden in the leaves. They were all weary at the prospect of starting fresh somewhere new, but he knew this was the only place they would be accepted in, after all, Naruto had been the one who pardoned them.

He expected to return home with little to no fanfare, but to his utter surprise when the gates came into view, he spotted Naruto. The idiot was wearing his hokage hat and cloak, grinning proudly, hands on his hips as he watched him approach.

"Teme," and there is no hate in his voice, nothing but happiness, "welcome home!"

"Tch," he smirks, eyes shutting as they come closer towards the gates, leave it to the idiot to actually come meet him at the gates.

They reach Naruto in about two minutes, and when they do the idiot wraps an arm around him and starts talking at a hundred miles per hour, telling him about everything he's missed while he was gone. He also mentions a welcome home party he's throwing, and how flaking out won't be an option, Sasuke didn't expect less from the dobe.

When they enter the gates he takes in the small village that he left behind all those years ago, when the war had started this place had looked different, it had struck him as unfamiliar. Looking at it now, he thinks it's good that it's different, it's like starting a new.

"Oi, don't space out, everyone came to say welcome," Naruto grins as they stop in front of a large crowd.

He's surprised to say the least, that the hokage managed to get all these people he had wronged in the past to welcome him like he had just been away on a trip. His dark eyes roam the faces of the people until they land on the familiar faces of the rookie 9, who don't stare at him with unease or distrust, they're looking at him like this is a long time coming.

He's thankful for a second chance, for the opportunity they've given him to atone for his sins, but even so, there's something that makes the small happiness in his heart dwindle away. He scans the faces of the villages and shinobi once more, and yet again he finds nothing.

For the first time, he notes that pink hair and green eyes are missing.

"Sakura."

He breathes the name out, eyes locked on the people before him, but Naruto catches on, and judging by the way the dobe is laughing nervously, he's about to lie on her behalf.

"She, uh," he scratches the back of his neck, "working."

His eyes shift over to Naruto who's looking at him hesitantly, and that's all the confirmation he needs. She's not working, in fact, he can safely assume that she's merely avoiding him. He doesn't blame her, he understands perfectly well, after all, their past has never and will never be the best.

"But, Ugly did send a message," his replacement smiles, trying to get rid of the tension, "she said to welcome you home, so welcome home, Sasuke-kun."

He scoffs, "Hn."

He has half a mind to leave the crowd of people and find her. Have her explain why she can't come and tell him that herself, have her explain how this is all his fault when she knows well that she did things that betrayed his trust too.

"Well, come on, let's get this show on the road," Naruto clamps a hand on his shoulder, as if reading his mind, "I bet you're wanting to get settled."

"Aa."

"Wow, so talkative," he mocks, rolling his eyes, "come on, teme, teme's teammates, cousin."

"Don't call me that," Karin grits her teeth.

And the conversation picks back up with the information that not a lot of people knew, Naruto teasing Karin and Karin trying to beat him up for it. Suigetsu joins in and eventually the bickering between Naruto and Karin turns into the bickering between Suigetsu and Karin. Sometimes, Jugo will cut in and ask things about the village and it's people, or even asking Naruto about what his hokage duties consist of.

After they drop off his former teammates, they walk towards an apartment Naruto reserved for him, under his specifications of course.

"Well, I'm off, before Sakura-chan knocks me out for not finishing my paperwork," he sighs, "bye-"

"Is she," he pauses, searching his brain for the right word, "_mad_?"

"Mad?" he echos before laughing, "No, I don't think so, she might think she is, but come on, Sasuke, this is Sakura-chan we're talking about, you've _always_ been an exception to everything in her life, whether you know that or not."

Naruto continues to walk away and Sasuke sighs as he enters his apartment. He'll take Naruto's answers, he reasons, just for now.

* * *

The welcome home party was a bit more than he had expected.

Almost everyone he knew had been there, a large crowd welcoming him and his former teammates to the village. Not once did he feel unwanted there, nor did he feel hatred when someone looked at him or talked to him. Hell, he even managed to get back that stupid fan club he thought girls had grown out of.

However, there had been one thing, one person, missing, _she_ had been missing.

And it had made him absolutely furious to know it, it made him want to beak something or someone, just because she showed no interest in being around him.

So, in an effort to make her get out of his brain, and in anger, and spite he had taken the drink Naruto had given him and didn't allow them to stop coming until he could no longer feel anything at all, just a numbing pain.

But it wasn't enough, she was still there, haunting him like she had always done.

Afterwards, he slipped out, staggering through the streets until his feet led him to the familiar path of the hospital she worked at. He shuts his eyes and felt it, the soft hum of her chakra, and with new-found determination he went inside, looking at all the nurses, and muttering a quick hello before asking them to lead him to her.

"She's not seeing anyone right no-"

"I said _lead_ me to her."

In reluctance the woman pointed him in the direction of her office, and he gave her a small nod before heading over there. When he reached the door, he spotted the small name plaque that hung on the side, and he wonder if she'd changed from the last time they've met.

"Who's there?" her soft voice calls out, "I'm not in the mood for food right now, if that's you, Tanaka-san."

He takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself before he pushes the door open, and when she comes into view he takes her in. Big green eyes, that had always been so expressive, eyes he can read like an open book, her pink hair is tied up in a ponytail, it looks longer than before, he notes. And she looks tired, frustrated, but in deep concentration as she looks at a paper on her desk, to Sasuke she's never looked as lovely.

"S'kura," he slurs, staggering in, and he tries his best to remain the same composed Sasuke he's always been, but it's hard, especially when she sits there looking as beautiful as she does.

Her head snaps up, and her pretty pink lips part as she stares at him with wide eyes, standing up in seconds, "Sasuke-kun."

It's still there, he muses with a sloppy grin, she hasn't dropped _his _suffix.

"You didn't show up," he steps towards her, "you weren't there."

"I-I'm working," she states, her finger pointing towards the stack of paper, "I had paperwork, Naruto may be hokage but that doesn't excus-"

"I'm so sorry," he blurts out.

It's quite for a few seconds, and to Sasuke it feels like it's too much time, but then her features meld into something dark, and she no longer looks shocked, she looks absolutely angry. She rounds the corner of her desk and gives him no warming before she punches the right side of his cheek.

He crashes against the wall and groans as he slips down, he shuts his eyes in pain and wonders why she even hit him to begin with.

He holds his cheek in his hand, looking up at her in surprise, and she stands there, hands clenched into tight fists looking at him like she would like to hit him a few more times. He supposes he deserves it, but he doesn't move, doesn't say anything, merely stares at her.

"Oh shut up, Sasuke, you're so stupid," she snaps, "you don't get it!"

He opens his mouth, ready to apologize once more, but she doesn't give him a chance to do so as she slips down to her knees, removing his hand form his cheek, and replacing it with her own. He shuts his eyes when he feels the familiar sensation of her chakra.

"I'm sorry," she breathes out when she removes her small hand, "_so_ sorry."

She doesn't give him a chance to say anything before she lets her had drop down on his shoulder. He stares at her with wide eyes before he slowly, and hesitantly wraps his arms around her smaller frame, bringing her in completely, and placing her on to his lap.

She doesn't punch him this time, she doesn't yell, nor does she cry, she merely clings on to him tighter and he takes the moment to breathe in her scent.

"Thank you," two words he gave her back then, with absolutely no explanation behind them, but tonight, tonight it's different, "for loving me."

Her arms wrap around him instantly, burying her face deeper into his shoulder, her voice soft and almost inaudible, "Finally."


	5. reminder

apologies for the last chapter ─so many mistakes, and that will probs be the case here but I'm leaving and have no time to update this later, so sorry but this is as good as it'll get for today.

**title:** reminder

**summary: **it's a constant reminder that someday I'll find you.

* * *

**prompt: **Keepsake

* * *

She doesn't know why exactly why she keeps it.

A part of her wants to believe it's a reminder, a reminder that this isn't some nightmare, that it happened and not once was it ever all in her head. Or maybe, another side of her reasons, it's to keep herself sane, to remind herself that he is indeed out there, that he exists, that he wasn't some wonderful dream gone wrong.

But the realist in her always laughs at her petty explanations, because in all honesty, she doesn't keep it for any of those reasons. She keeps the item because it's precious to her, because if she brings it up to her nose she can still pretend she can catch the faint scent of mint, and something completely _him_. She keeps it with her because if she holds it tight enough she can at least pretend he's there with her. It's a solid reminder of the love she has for him, of how much she's willing to give up for him and him only.

It's there to reminder herself that she loves him and letting go will never, _ever_ be an option.

She looks down on it and a small frown slips on her lips, she remembers the look Naruto wore when he had handed it to her all those years ago. His hand had been clenched around it tightly, those bright blue eyes of his had been dulled, nothing but regret swirling in them, she remembers thinking that she's never seen such sadness in anyone's eyes before.

She had taken it without hesitation, all eyes on her as a single tear slid down her cheek, despite the smile she had worn on her lips.

She runs her hand over the scratches that adorn it, scratches she can only speculate about, scratches that remind her that she's not the only one who's hurting in his absence. After all, she's their teammate and she knows better than anyone who cause the scratches and why they're there in the first place.

Many people had begged her to get it out of her room, to quit suffocating herself with an unpleasant memory of a boy who's no longer here, a boy who will _never_ return. Her mother's found it several times, hidden in the darkest depths of her room, and when she brings it out, holding it in her hand, squeezing it tightly as she begs her to let go of him, to heal herself and save herself the trouble.

She's never listened to any of them, however, because letting go has never been an option for her, because who is she without this, without_ him_? If she let's go of this small piece of him, all she has left to remember him by, then she'll be left with absolutely nothing, to her, it'll be like he was never there to begin with.

He'll be nothing but a thought, a beautiful dream that turned into a dreaded nightmare, and that, she could never bring herself to do.

She pads over to her closet, green eyes searching quickly for a new place, somewhere she can hide this without anyone ever finding it, because if they find it they won't understand her. They'll give her looks of pity and question her sanity.

But she's not obsessed, nor is she crazy, she's just in love, as hurtful and as bitter as it is, she's in love.

That's why she keeps this with her, a constant reminder that he's out there somewhere, that those stars up there are ones he sees too. She'll hold it close so she can feel like he's still here, looking down at her with those dark orbs of his. She'll keep it so she can remember every emotion he's ever made her felt, all the pain and the hurt, the love and the desperation, it's here so she can remember every single detail about him.

She slips it into a small box, deep within her closet and hopes her mother doesn't go looking once more. If she does, she'll refuse to let go of it once more, she'll keep this until she won't need it, and for that to happen he needs to return.

And he will, she reminds herself, he'll definitely be back, because she believes in him, and she believes in Naruto. One day, when the clouds are out and the sun is shinning, she'll stand at the gates and he'll walk right through them like some dream. And she'll smile and greet him, hugging them both and refusing to let go, she'll cry and cry until she can't anymore, and for once those tears won't be because she's sad, they'll be filled with nothing but happiness.

He'll look at her and she'll smile, like it's never hurt, like nothing ever happened, and she'll reach up to his head and wrap the item around it with a grin on her lips. He'll actually smile, she imagines, and he'll thank her just as he did all those years ago, and she'll pull him back into her arms once more, hoping his will wrap around her too, and she'll whisper those words she's been dying to tell him.

_"Welcome home."_


	6. mishap proposal

updating this was a hassle since I'm on my way home from my trip and the only internet I have is from my hotspot, so yeah, this is difficult, but this is (so far) my favorite prompt done so I _really_ wanted to share it on the correct day. enjoy

**title: **mishap proposal

**summary: **leave it to Sakura to systematically ruin his one shot at being romantic

* * *

**day 6: **Night In

* * *

Sasuke likes nights like these best.

Where they aren't surrounded by all their annoying (and loud) friends. Nights where it's just her and him, sometimes a few movies, other times a few books and coffee. Nights where they didn't have to go out to loud clubs, or crowded restaurants.

In these nights it's was just him and her and no one else.

He looks at her carefully and watches as she swirls the spaghetti, lifting it up with her fork and slipping it into her mouth, before he looks back to his own (dosed heavily in tomato sauce) and does the same. Today is their third anniversary and he knows that girls typically go for going out and having a nice dinner, a nice stroll, but he knows that she is much different.

And there is something he needs to do, without having people breathing down his neck.

Because he's finally spoken with his older brother and his parents, even his idiot best friend. Because this is something he wants to do with just the two of them present, so he can be the only one to see her face when it happens.

"Sasuke."

He looks up at her, "Hn."

"Ever the conversationalist," she giggles, "so what do you want to do, movies, reading?"

"I don't know, whatever you want is fine," he tells her.

"But today's your day to pick," she explains with a small whine, "I didn't give it much thought."

He slips his hand away from the coffee table and into his pocket, toying with the small velvet box. He pretends to look pensive for a moment, and watches as she taps her nails on the table, her other hand propped up and holding her cheek as she hums softly.

"We could just talk," he tells her, slipping his hand out of his pocket.

"Talk?' she smiles brightly, "you never wanna do that, so what's up?"

"Nothing much," he shrugs, "you sure you don't want to go out today?"

She shakes her head, smiling, "no, anywhere's fine, this is our special day, it'd only be awful is you weren't here."

He smirks, "I take it I'm important then?"

"Shut up," she blushes, "anyways, what do you want to talk about?"

"You," he tells her seriously, scooting towards her.

She puts her fork down and looks at him, green eyes narrowing, "What about me?"

"Where do you see yourself in a few years?" he asks.

She hums, a large smile on her lips, "You'd think I was weird if I told you."

"Tell me."

"Well I see _us_," she pauses, a blush forming on her cheeks, "married, maybe with a little one on the way."

He gives her a rare smile, seems he isn't the only one who thinks that's how it should be. His hand slips back into his pocket and he grips the box tightly, looking at her with determination in his black eyes, she's twirling her spaghetti, blushing furiously at her previous words.

"W-What about you?" she asks pouting.

"Me?" he smirks, "I see myself married to an incredibly annoying woman."

"Hmph, how rude," she pouts, "I'm sure she's lovely."

"Yeah right," he rolls his eyes, "we'll most definitely have a kid by then, none of that 'waiting' crap."

She rolls her eyes, "poor, _unfortunate_ soul."

"Sakura, I need to tell you something."

She looks at him with an arched brow, "Why are you suddenly so serious, Sasuke-kun?"

"I wanted to-"

"Oh my God!" she gasps, and for a split second he panics, thinking she caught on to everything and she won't be surprised anymore, "you _pig_, you knocked someone up, didn't you, that's why you said all of that?!"

"Sakura," he frowns, maybe not.

"I should totally burn your balls off," she screeches, "like seriously, who does that? I _trusted_ you."

"Sakura."

"Sasuke-kun, I thought you had common sense," she runs a hand through her pink hair, "seriously, Sasuke-kun, who does that?"

He watches as she gets up, "So who is she?"

"Sakura."

"It's that tramp from the supermarket, isn't it?" she mutters, "she's been eyeing you for a while, I wouldn't be surprised, but by God, Sasuke-kun, if it's that nice girl from the pizza place, I'll _kill_ you ."

It's nice to know where her priorities lie, "Sakura."

"Seriously Sasuke-kun, you're a Uchiha, I thought you'd at least knock up some celebrity," she tells him seriously, "like to be honest, this isn't as life changing as it should be."

"Sakura."

"What will Ino-pig say?" she starts to pace, "surely, she'll come here to cut off your balls, she's going to feed them to the wild animals."

"Sakura."

"Who lets their dick make all the important decisions?" she wonders, her hands moving about as she paces, "I thought I taught you how to practice safe sex, like, are you an idiot?"

He sighs, "Sakura."

She continues to pace, her hands moving in and out of her pink hair, "I swear, Naruto's going to end your life, asshole, I should be ending your life right now."

"Sakura."

"I can't say I blame her," she frowns, continuing to pace, "you're quite the animal in bed."

Ignoring her comment, and the blush on his cheeks, he snaps, "Sakura!"

Breaking out of her trance she looks at him, "What do you want_, asshole_?"

"Damn it, Sakura, I didn't knock someone up," he frowns.

Sakura looks at him, green eyes narrowing, "now you're denying your child a father, how incredib-"

"I was going to ask you to marry me, stupid!"

Her mouth hangs open as she looks at him with wide eyes, and he frowns at how she systematically ruined his only chance at being romantic. Instead he digs into his pocket and takes out the small box and opens it, taking out the ring and getting up.

She doesn't move when he slides it on her finger and he snorts, "you don't get to say no, you've caused me enough trouble."

She recovers from her initial shock and her green eyes narrow, a small smirk on her lips, "_Fine_, I guess I can _allow_ you to marry me."

"Sakura," he frowns.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"Yeah, that's probably for the best right now."

"Hn."


	7. drunken confessions

thanks to everyone who's been favoring, alerting + reviewing thus far, you are greatly appreciated.

**title: **drunken confessions

**summary: **honestly, all she wanted was to sleep, but this, well this, isn't that bad.

* * *

**day seven: **Night Out

* * *

She's tired.

Like the kind where everything and anyone is annoying, where you really just want to head home and sleep and perhaps never wake up ever again.

And she would, had she not been called by an annoyed Shikamaru who claimed that they all had a "guys night out" and apparently Sasuke and Naruto got far too wasted to let them go home on their own.

When she asked him to take care of it he only said it was too troublesome, and he had other things to tend to.

Honestly, she gritted her teeth, stomping towards the bar the boys were at, who has 'other things to tend to' at three in the morning? If she wasn't too tired she'd kill Shikamaru, and all the other guys for that matter, for letting her two idiot teammates drink.

She enters the noisy bar and green eyes narrow, looking for the two idiots she dares to call teammates and _friends_. She cringes at the disgusting smell of smoke and alcohol that surrounds her and mentally tells herself that when they're sober tomorrow she'll murder them, too.

"Sakura-chaaaaan!"

She sighs when a strong arm wraps around her, and then a loud laugh tears through the atmosphere. She looks up at Naruto who's grinning down at her, and in his other hand it seems he has another cup of alcohol.

"Let's have some funnn," he slurs, before bringing the cup to his lips and downing it like it's water.

She sneers at the blond, "I'm going to take you home since you're too incompetent to do that on your own."

The blond cheers loudly before he stumbles out of her grasp, 'L-Let's get Sasuke-teme."

She sighs, looking around, "where's idiot number two?"

"Over thereeeee," Naruto points towards a man who's slumped over, a glass in his hand.

Sakura sighs, walking over to him, "Come on, let's go."

He looks up slowly, blinking before he nods calmly, standing up. She notes that he isn't as wasted as Naruto is, and if that's the case then why couldn't Sasuke just haul Naruto's drunken ass home, they live the same way anyways?

She walks over to Naruto and slings an arm around her, "Let's get you home, idiot."

"Haiiiiiiii," he grins sloppily, before turning his head and waving excitedly, "see you tomorrow, gu-uys!"

"No, you will not," Sakura grits her teeth, "you have things to take care of, or have you forgotten _esteemed_ Hokage-_sama_ that you have duties you need completely, that stack of paperwork isn't getting any tinier."

"S'rry," he grins, "I forgot I was the hoka-ge."

She curses lowly under her breath as Naruto begins to ramble about nothing and yet, everything. She honestly thinks this would've been easier had Sai been around, he's usually the one in charge of these kinds of things since he was the more reasonable, responsible one. Sadly however, the selfish _brat _was on a five-week mission somewhere "classified"

They reached Naruto's apartment in no time at all, and she wasted no time in getting him in bed. He fell over on to the mattress in seconds, snores were the only thing she heard as she placed pain killers and water at his bed side table, with a small note to _please _drink a lot of water when he wakes up.

She steps outside, letting out a huge breath of relief, she hopes Sasuke went home on his home, since he was usually a sensible drunk. If he did that then she can go home, and get some proper sleep, and then not have to worry about her teammates until morning.

However, as she climbed down the stairs she noticed Sasuke standing not far off leaning against one of the fences, hands in his pockets, cheeks flushed and a very calm look on his face.

"Sasuke-kun?"

His head raises up almost instantly and he removes himself from the fence, but doesn't say anything, but she doesn't really mind, she's far more used to his silence than anyone would know.

"I think you can get home fine since you don't live too far," she speaks softly, "but I'm positive you're going to get a headache in the morning so please take some medicine, and drink plenty of water."

"Hn."

She smiles, before giving him a small nod, "I'll see you tomorro-"

In a quick movement, so quick she never even saw it coming, he has her pinned up against one of the fences, dark eyes boring into her own. Her green eyes widen as she looks up at him, it's almost weird to see a Sasuke like this, he looks conflicted, and she's not even sure why that is.

"S'kura," he frowns, his face coming closer to her own.

She blinks, reality slapping her in the face, because she knows where this will lead. She's seen it plenty of times in those movies the girls make her watch during girl's night. Things like this happen quickly and in the spur of a drunken moment, this, this is because he's drunk and if she allows him to continue he'll regret this.

And Sasuke's always been a precious friend, even if she's wanted more, he's still a friend, and with that thought in mind, she just can't take advantage of him, no matter how much she'd like for something like this to happen. So, she presses her hands against his chest, pushing at him so he'll back away from her.

"Sasuke-kun," she breathes out, struggling to push him back, "Y-You need to go home, you're drunk, and if-"

"S'kay," he whispers, and she has to shut her eyes at the sensation of his breath fanning across her lips like that.

She pushes harder, eyes snapping open, because she needs distance, they need distance or something bad will happen, she's positive.

However, he doesn't take it, he doesn't let her push him away, instead he presses closer to her. His body cages her smaller one, his face now mere inches away from him.

She scolds herself for being so weak, and for allowing this to progress in the way that is has. Surely, someone up there was making fun of her, she just knew it, because why else would someone like Sasuke come on to her?

He's eyes are staring into her own intently, and she doesn't know what she should make of the emotion swirling in them.

"Sasuke-kun," she sighs softly, pressing her hands against his chest a bit more firmly, "I need, I need to go home."

He buries his face in the crook of her neck, "No."

She tenses when she feels him inhale roughly before he starts to nuzzle his face against her neck. She makes to pry him off before she feels something wet at the base of her neck, and then it repeats itself, trailing towards her shoulder. Her eyes widen as he pulls back to look at her face properly, what is he even thinking.

He gives her a smirk and she's positive that the cause is her apparent blushing, but damn it, that caught her off guard, everything he's doing so far has caught her off guard.

"I really do have to go, Sasuke-kun," she tells him firmly, pushing at his chest once more, "but if you want I can walk you home?"

He doesn't say anything, pressing another small kiss to her exposed shoulder. She grits her teeth in an effort to keep herself from completely crumbling in his presence. Instead she pushes once more, hoping he'll back off, he needs to, damn it, he's too close.

He looks up at her with half-lidded eyes, "come home with me."

"W-What are you saying?" she stutters, cursing mentally when she feels her face heat up some more, "S-Sasuke-kun, you shouldn't be saying t-things like that s-so freely."

"L'es go," he murmurs against her shoulder, before he presses his lips to it once more.

She doesn't get a chance to complain as he grabs her wrist and tugs her along to his apartment building. Her heart is hammering against her chest and she wonders if he's even aware of how he's making her feel right now?

He grips her wrist tight as he his door with ease, before he pulls her inside with him. The door shuts behind her and he presses her up against it in another quick movement. Her eyes widen when she realizes his intentions, but she isn't given any time to protest as he hauls her up and heads towards his room.

She feels herself being dropped on the bed, and she watches in panic as he closes and locks his door, before turning back to her. She knows what he plans to do, and she can't stay here, she has to get going, she needs to let right _now._

He removes his shirt and throws it in the corner of the room, before crawling over her.

"I-I've really got to get going," she whispers as his face lowers towards her own, "s-since we're here, l-let me get you some medicine and water for the morning, a-alright?"

He doesn't say anything to her, merely looks at her behind those breathtakingly long eyelashes, before he nods once. She feels relief wash over her, because if he allows her to slip away she can just place the stuff on his table and be on her merry way.

"Let me go get the stuff, o-okay?"

She expects for him to move off of her, but instead he drops his head down towards her exposed shoulder, pressing a kiss to it like he had done before.

"Later," he growls against her skin.

His lips trail towards her chest, and she feels panic rise in her once more. She tries her best to calm her ragging, traitorous heart(and her inner for that matter) because Sasuke is drunk, and this is not good, and she needs to get going before they do something that will end in nothing but regret for both of them.

And honestly, she'd rather not have to explain to her friends, and to the nosy villagers, that she didn't take advantage of the drunk person, but said drunk person took advantage of _her_.

"S'kura," he growls, as his lips begin to move downwards.

She places her hand on his head, trying to pry him off, "S-Sasuke-kun, you need to stop, I have to go, get some sleep and just stop."

Instead he hums, one of his hands wrapping around her own, removing it from his hair, and the pressing it against the mattress. He restrains her other hand and looks down at her, his cheeks are still flushed, she notes, and he's still drunk, and this is still soso_so_ wrong.

"I like you," he tells her firmly, "a lot."

And she has no words because what he just said was something she'd always wanted to hear from this man. It was like she was leaving one of those dreams she kept locked away in the depths of her mind and heart.

But he couldn't mean it, he was drunk, wasn't he?

He begins to pepper kisses up the base of her neck, and that's when all sane thoughts are completely drained from her mind. He trails his kisses until he's hovering over mouth, and he hovers only for a slip second, and it gives her time to wonder if she'll go to hell for something like this, but she can't give it any more thought as his lips crash on to her own.

Her inner laughs and claims that it wouldn't matter if she went there anyways, so long as Sasuke kept kissing her the way he was doing now, she'd go there and back anytime.

"S-Sasuke-kun," she whispers against his lips, "enough."

He doesn't release her, only removes his lips from her own, examining her carefully. He wraps his larger arms around her and rolls over until they're on their sides.

"I'm tired," he explains, pulling her closer.

She watches as his eyes shut and soon his breathing begins to even out. She sighs in relief, pressing a hand to her forehead, and wondering what she has to do to get out of his arms and out of here without waking him. After all, this wouldn't go well if she wakes up in his arms, he'd probably accuse her of taking advantage, he'd hate her all over again.

She wiggles right and left, trying to loosen his arms, and it only works for a few seconds because in a heartbeat, his arms wrap around tighter and she comes towards him even closer than before. She curses her incompetence, she should've seen that one coming.

Feeling defeated she decides to shut her eyes and allow sleep to overtake her. She's more than positive that she'll have to deal with her decision to stay here come sunrise, but right now she's too tired to care.

Plus, she muses, cracking one eye open to see Sasuke's sleeping face, this isn't all that bad, anyways. She giggles softly when he snuggles closer to her body, and she does the same, her small hands coming up to rest at his chest.

Yeah, she nods mentally, a wasted Sasuke-kun isn't a bad one at all.


	8. this means war

I have a question I wanted to address, so let me do that and then you can go on!

**PetalMedeic** asked: Will you do a sequel for this? (meaning day seven's prompt)

So, I haven't really thought about it, but I suppose I should since I didn't address him waking up and what-not, whether or not it'll happen during these ssmonth prompts, I have no idea, I suppose if I can make it fit in somewhere then yes, of course! **If not **I might write it separately, either way I'd look forward to it! Also, thank you for your review!

**title:** this means war

**summary: **all's fair in love and war

* * *

**prompt: **The Student Becomes the Teacher

* * *

Sasuke twitched.

This was the fifth time this week that something like this happened, and he was so, very close to snapping the kid's neck in half. Now, normally, he wouldn't really allow someone(especially this young and _stupid_) to bother him, but this was just ridiculous.

And Sakura, his naïve, pink-haired girlfriend wasn't even properly concerned with the issue. She had given him that bell-like laugh of hers and brushed it off with a comments about how the kid didn't know any better since he was only twelve, or how it was actually "_cute_".

But damn it, he was frustrated beyond all recognition, it was ridiculous that this was still happening. Like seriously, he was someone who was considered 'dangerous', someone who had a reputation, but when that _brat _kept doing what he did it was like all those rumors about him were false.

The cause of this eternal frustration? Well he came in a (in Sasuke's opinion)pint size brat, with black hair and green eyes, and absolutely no regards for the rules, and his name is Fukazawa Hayato. The kid was the prodigy in his genin cell squad, or as Naruto liked to call him 'Sasuke number two'. But Sasuke saw absolutely nothing of his personality traits in the small annoyance, he was rude, way too arrogant for his age, and this annoying habit of not properly addressing his elders. He couldn't even write off the kid as just an annoyance because even with a hundred-plus negative traits he had a few good traits that made him a valuable asset to his genin squad.

He was completely agile and a very quick learner, he was powerful and naturally talented, to be honest, Hayato was basically the ace of his squad(not including himself). They even shared an affinity for fire, making him all the more easier to teach. If Sasuke was honest to the brat, he'd tell him that he had a great deal of potential and with the right amount of training he could become someone important some day.

However, that did nothing to take away from Hayato's greatest flaw, the one flaw that Sasuke wished he could beat out of him. A flaw so grave that it broke all the rules Sasuke had given them at the beginning of the year; his annoying crush on Sakura.

Now normally he wouldn't care for such things, Sakura had followers, she had her own fan club just like he did and they both have learned to just ignore them, but Hayato demanded to be seen. He found absolutely every excuse in the book for Sakura's pretty green eyes to dart over to him and thus making her completely ignore her boyfriend.

Like take three months ago, it had been Sakura's birthday and Sasuke had decided that, that was the day he'd give her one of his mother's bracelets. The bracelet was one of his mother's most treasure piece of jewelry, the Uchiha insignia was a charm on it, dangling and glittering in the light. Sasuke was absolutely confident that his gift would be the one to make Sakura burst into the biggest smile he's ever seen on her. So he took her out for a walk after dinner and when he dug into his pocket for the bracelet, the brat had made his move.

When Sasuke looked up he saw Sakura bending down to hug a small puppy who was very excited to see her. Sasuke swore he'd never seen Sakura so completely enthralled with something that wasn't _him_, when his eyes darted around they landed on Hayato who was only a few feet away.

There was a challenge in his green eyes '_beat that'_, and Sasuke had been livid.

Needless to say while Sakura was touched and happy to have received such a beautiful and important gift, he knew he didn't top that stupid dog the brat bought her.

Then three weeks ago he had been training with them when Sakura arrived with his daily bento, a cheery smile on her lips. She had sat by him as he began to eat, his students sitting not far off, well, until Hayato got up and took a part of his food, before giving Sakura compliments.

He couldn't even hurt at the brat because when he took out his katana fully prepared to strike him down, Sakura had punched him and had scolded him, telling him to be nicer to his students. When he glanced over to his student, while his other student, Nanami, healed him, the brat had given him a small smirk, standing right next to Sakura, who refused to heal him or look at him.

And things like that happened always, that brat just kept on ruining things. He would show up when he had something important to show her, or tell her, he would cockblock at any given chance, the kid would even try his best to give her better gifts.

To be honest, Sasuke couldn't blame the poor brat, after all, his girlfriend was beautiful, hell, she was the most beautiful kunoichi in the village. However, that didn't mean that Sasuke was willing to share her with anyone else, after all, she was _his_.

Today was the day before his birthday, today he had begged whatever God was up there for a Hayato-less night and birthday the next day. Sakura had suggested they go out for Ichiraku tonight, as a pre-birthday celebration, just the two of them, no one else. After all, he has a very important question to ask her today, a question that should end Hayato's annoying advances.

"Sasuke-kun," her voice knocked him out of his trance.

"H-Hn."

"You're spacing out," she smiles, "we're supposed to be celebrating, remember?"

"Sakura," he sighs, "I need to ask you something."

Ayame places a bowl of ramen before her and one before him, and she smiles, "what's up?"

"Well," he frowns, "this isn't easy to say."

She looks slightly confused, "What is?"

"What I want to ask."

"What do you want to ask?" she giggles, "just be blunt, like always, don't beat around the bush."

"Sakura."

"I'm sure I won't say 'no', Sasuke-kun," she smiles brightly, reaching over for some chopsticks.

He does the same, "Well, I want-"

However, before he gets to finish his question there's a loud 'thunk' and his eye twitches at the sight of Hayato placing a stool in between him and Sakura. He subconsciously reaches for his katana, not that it's there since Sakura made him leave it behind, and when he grasps at nothing his hand twitches too.

Hayato looks at Sakura with all the wonder and love in the world and Sasuke swears he'll place his Amaterasu on the stool Hayato's on if he doesn't move away. But the brat neither flinches at Sasuke's dark aura nor does he even acknowledge it.

"Sakura-hime," he smirks, "you look beautiful today."

Sasuke loathes that attachment to her name, _loathes_ it.

Sakura blushes before she smiles, "you're so kind, Hayato-kun."

"What are you doing?" he asks, and Sasuke flinches.

"I'm having dinner with Sasuke-kun," she smiles, "it's an early celebration for his birthday."

"Why not celebrate tomorrow?"

"Because tomorrow Naruto's planned a big party, so we won't be able to celebrate alone," she smiles.

"Alone?" he frowns, looking at her carefully, "do you love, Sasuke?"

"Use honorifics, brat," Sasuke snarls.

"Hn," Hayato frowns, "Sakura-hime, you're too beautiful to be caught up with someone like Sasuke."

Sakura laughs, "Why's that?"

"He's rude, he's got an annoying tomato fetish, he doesn't know how to speak, and he thinks he's better than everyone," Hayato tells her seriously, "you deserve someone better."

"Like who?" Sakura smirks, giving him a glance over Hayato's head.

"Me."

"Hayato-kun, i'm twenty-two and you're only twelve," she laughs, "it wouldn't work out."

"Why not?" Hayato demands, "has Sasuke brainwashed you?"

"Get lost, brat," Sauske smirks, "she's not interested."

"Sakura-hime never said that," Hayato rolls his eyes, "I will leave when she tells me to."

"Hayato-kun," she smiles kindly, "you are very sweet, however, it doesn't change our age difference, nor does it change my love for Sasuke-kun."

Hayato looks at Sasuke with narrowed eyes, before he hops off the stool, "fine, I'll come back when I'm twenty-two, by the way, Sakura-hime, Sasuke wants you to move in with him."

"Hayato, you_ brat_."

Hayato smirks, "Oh my bad, was that a secret, _sensei_?"

Sasuke moves to grasp the little shit's neck but he swerves, moving backwards with a smirk, before he pecks Sakura on the lips and walks off. Sasuke has every intention of going after him, because the brat not only ruined his pre-birthday date, he completely told Sakura something he wanted to ask himself.

But as he moves to chase after him, sharingan fully activated, Sakura's small hand grasps at his jounin vest and she pulls him back with a small smirk, "So you're jealous of a kid?"

"I'm not jealous," Sasuke grits his teeth, "but I _am_ going to kill the little fucker."

"Sasuke-kun," she laughs, "he's only twelve, he means no harm."

"He's been ruining our dates for moths," Sasuke points out, "he'll be lucky if he can walk when I'm done beating the living hell of out him."

Sasuke pulls him back until he's seated in the stool Hayato was in, before pecking his lips, "There, is that better?"

Sasuke pouts, crossing his arms over his chest, he'll have to use this to his advantage, "Hn."

"Fine," she rolls her eyes, "if I say I'll move in with you, will that make it better?"

At this he smirks, pulling her in, "Aa."

The kiss is small, but it's worth everything, especially when she pulls away with a breath-taking smile on her pretty pink lips.

"By the way, Sasuke-kun," she smirks, "you should step it up, Hayato-kun, had an edible arrangement brought over to the hospital for me, and a beautiful handwritten poem."

"Tch," he smirks, pulling her in for another kiss.

He'll play it off like it's meaningless now, but he'll make sure to _katon _the brat later for it.


	9. just a little bit

enjoy x

**title: **just a little bit

**summary: **she'd like to think her bravery all came from him.

* * *

**day 9: **bravery

* * *

She feels her stomach clench uncomfortably.

Suddenly it feels like everything is moving too fast, and she can't quite keep up. She watches as her friends move about the room fixing their hair and their make-up. Glitter, hair spray and sequins surrounding her.

"Sakura-chan," Hinata kneels beside her, "are you okay?"

She looks at the girl and nods slowly, "Y-Yeah."

"It's alright, we're all nervous," she smiles reassuringly, "but you'll be fine."

Sakura nods her head once more, as the girl raises up to her full height. Her green eyes track her as she moves to the empty section of the room and begins to go over her movements.

She knows that she's been training for this moment for a whole year, they all have, but it doesn't make the butterflies flutter any less.

She gets up and heads over to her vanity quickly, looking for her glitter as quickly as she can, she needs something to calm herself, she needs to occupy herself until her name is called or she's going to go insane.

She feels movement beside her and recaps her glitter vial to look at her best friend. She's eyeing the room around, as if she's preparing to tell her a secret.

"Pig," she whispers, looking at their teacher with a smile, playing it off, "someone's waiting outside."

"I can't leave," Sakura grits her teeth, "she'll murder us."

"Say you're going to the restroom, then run off somewhere private," Ino hisses, "it's Romeo."

Sakura snorts at the nickname Ino decided to give to Sakura's boyfriend, it seemed like the dumbest thing but Ino refused to drop it.

"F-Fine."

"Yes, thank you," Ino sighs, "I'm afraid you're going to end up glittering your whole face."

"Whatever."

Sakura pushes her friend away before standing up and moving over to her teacher, asking for quick permission to use the restroom. The teacher's eyes narrow in suspicion before she gives her a nod and a quick 'be back quickly'.

She walks down the hallway slowly, her jazz shoes suddenly feeling tight against her feet. She doesn't even know why she's so nervous, she's done this plenty of times before.

She reaches the restroom area and looks around, finding no one in sight. With a sigh she whirls around prepared to head back in the room and start glittering other people to get her mind off of the tension she's feeling, but instead she collides with a strong chest.

"Umph," she groans.

"You know, you should be more careful."

"S-Sorry," she mumbles, looking up, "You're actually here."

"Aa."

"I'm not supposed to stay for too long so I-"

"You're not wearing enough clothes."

She frowns, looking at him incredulously before her eyes move to her costume. Sure, it's not at all covering much it's a two piece custom but hey, she didn't order it. If he has any complains he can march into their 'warm-up room' and complain to her teacher.

"It's my custom," she tells him, "what's the problem?"

"The lack of a middle and a bottom, Sakura."

She grits her teeth looking down at her costume once more, it's not even a bad custom, Ino even told her she looked amazing. It was a white two piece for her lyrical, a flowy skirt that and a glittery top. She assumes the issue is the fact that her stomach is completely bare, but once again, not her fault.

"Look, Sasuke," she arches a brow, "I look awesome, and this costume is the least of my problems."

"What are you worried about?" he asks, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "you always do good on your dances."

"Yeah, but I've never done a lyrical before, this is a first," she sighs softly, "you know jazz has always been my forte."

"Hn," he rolls his eyes, "you'll be fine."

"You say that 'cause you're not in my shoes," she sighs softly, "but it's fine."

He places one of his hands on her shoulder and gives her a rare smile, "I believe in you."

Her eyes widen as she looks at him carefully, "_You_ believe in _me_?"

He nods once before pulling her closer, "Yeah, I do."

He gives her a small smirk before he pulls her flush against him and leans down, brushing his lips lightly against hers.

"I've gotta go-"

He breathes out a small 'Hn', before pressing his lips firmly against hers. Sakura's small hands come up slowly to dip in and out of his black hair.

Suddenly the butterflies slowed down and she felt calm.

"You can do it," he breathes against her lips, "I know you can, so be brave, I'll be watching."

* * *

She hears the man call her entry number, name, and her piece and she takes a deep breath in. Her green eyes scan the large crowd and she musters all the courage she can to go out there.

She walks on to the bright stage with slow and graceful stops, this is it, her big moment. This was her time to show people what she could do.

Performing after all her friends had made her uneasy, but seeing them do absolutely wonderful she felt the need to do just as good as they did, if not better.

She hoped she could pull this off.

She gets into position slowly and awaits her music, and when she hears the familiar tune of her solo she begins to move. She ignores the stares of the intimidating judges, and the stares of the audience members who are awaiting her blunder, and dances like she's never done so before.

She turns, and leaps gracefully, and moves her body as gracefully as she was taught. Within minutes she finds herself completely engrossed in her dance, forgetting about everything.

And before she knows it she's falling into her final position, posing as the music cuts off. She hears clapping and as she comes down from her cloud she watches with bright eyes as people stand for her.

She moves off the stage gracefully before she's attacked by her friends, who cry and cry, and tell her that she did absolutely amazing and that she had nothing to worry about because they were positive that, that was the best.

Once they head backstage she catches sight of Sasuke, who stands not far off from the door to their room and she smiles, walking over to him slowly.

He looks at her with a smirk and hands her a single red rose, "told you, stupid."

And she smiles when he wraps his arms around her, she won't tell him this, to avoid making that large head swell anymore, but she'd like to think her bravery all came from him.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun."


	10. think fast

**title: **think fast

**summary: **because he's sasuke, and he's impulsive at best.

* * *

**day ten: **Impulsive

* * *

Sasuke doesn't like it.

He doesn't like the way she seemed to change in his absence, because even if those changes are good changes, they managed to bring along suitors ─a lot of them. Not to mention that those suitors, to him at least, are nothing but a bunch of _nobody_ shinobi, he's more than positive losers such a those don't deserve a woman like Sakura.

Sadly, Sakura seems to disagree with him.

She'll indulge the wannabe-shinobi suitors, give them smiles that were once for him and him alone. She accepts their gifts, laughs at their jokes, and sometimes she even looks flustered when they say something _nice_. However, the worse thing that she does is accept invitations to places, dates, as she likes to call them.

Like take tonight for example; she's dressed in a tight, form-fitting black dress, and heels that make her already too-long legs look even longer. Her pink hair, which is now a lot longer than when he left, falls down her back in delicate curls. She's wearing minimal make up, Sasuke doesn't think she needs it anyways, and in all she looks absolutely _amazing._

Normally, he'd encourage such outfits, after all, it was nice to have someone absolutely stunning to look at, especially if that person is Sakura herself. However, because this is all to go on a date with some no-talent loser, who _she_ thinks deserves a slight chance at trying to steal her heart, he simply cannot condone it.

No one's worth Sakura's attention and time, well, _almost_ no one, but that's neither here nor there.

That's why he's here now, out of sight in the corner of a not-so fancy restaurant, eyeing Sakura and her _date_. It's infuriating, to say the least, to watch her laugh at something the man says, it makes his blood boil, and his eyes narrow. He grips the menu he's hiding behind tighter, and continues to carefully observe the pair, because that's all they are, a pair, not a couple, they're never going to become a couple, not as long as Sasuke's alive and well.

They eat dinner normally, have a nice conversation, and once it's all over the man offers to take her home, and to his utter surprise, she has the _gall_ to say 'yes'. Seriously, who does this guy think he is? And who the hell does Sakura think she is accepting offers form strange men like that?

The walk is mostly quiet, they don't even hold hands but they walk side-by-side and chat amiably. Sasuke follows closely from the shadows, frowning at their distance, and how the man seems keen on wanting to make it smaller. Seriously, if Sakura listened to him for once in her life then she wouldn't be in this predicament, and right now he could be focusing on training, and not following her around.

The walk to her apartment is a long one, but when they finally get there he walks her all the way to her door. Sasuke expects the man to leave with a small goodbye and with a _lame_ promise of taking her out once more some other time. However, this one, either because he drank a little too much of that (probably) cheap wine, or because he's stupid, is a bit bolder than the others.

He grasps her hand quickly, "Sakura-san, I would like to date you."

And that annoying girl, who obviously can't take care of herself, blushes, and even sutters a response "D-Date?"

The _nerve_.

That idiot guy isn't suppose to be asking her to be his boyfriend, he isn't even suppose to take her out to dinner. Not to mention that he managed to make Sakura blush, he doesn't like it, it's only good when he's the one who causes such things.

"yes, of course," he answers quickly, a smaller blush on his own cheeks.

"So you want to be my bo-"

"Yes, your boyfriend, Sakura-san," he cuts her off.

The absolute, _freaking_ nerve.

Sasuke snarls from his spot on the tree he's perched on, watching intently as the scene unfolds before him. Sasuke knows Sakura, and he knows she wouldn't dare to tell this man 'yes', because if she does, if she even gives the loser that kind of power, he'll go right down there and he'll, well, he probably won't hurt _her_, because honestly, she'll kick his ass all the way back to Oto.

But damn it, he'll do _something._

"Well, N-Natsuki-san," she smiles shyly, "I think that would be o-"

Sasuke knows _that_ look, that's _the_ look, she gives him that look when she gives in to one of his requests. So without hesitation, he jumps right off the tree, and lands right next to Sakura, eyes narrowed in to slits, and his sharingan flashing. The man in front of them jumps at Sasuke's surprise visit, but Sakura merely looks at him with wide eyes, before they narrow into dangerous_dangerous_ slits.

"Sasuke-kun," she grits her teeth, "what. are. you. doing here."

Normally, one runs at the look on Sakura's face, it's one Naruto sees often before he gets beaten into a bloody pulp. Those are in normal circumstances, and this, this is not a normal circumstance, many things are at stake here.

Therefor, he'll gladly receive his imminent beating with as much dignity as he can, if he can at least manage to save something important to him.

"U-Uchiha-san," the man nods, "good evening, I was just uh-"

"May I ask what business you have with my _girlfriend_," he asks with a snarl, sharingan flashing dangerously, "is there some business you are here to see her about that _I_ should know about?"

The man's eyes grow wide as he steps further away from Sakura, "I'm s-so s-sorry, I was not a-aware that she was your gi-girlfriend."

"Well, she is, so get lost."

And he does, not even daring to ask any questions, "B-Bye Sak-Haruno-san, Uchiha-san."

When he's out of earshot, he feels Sakura's anger start to radiate off of her in waves, it's strong, too strong, and it almost makes him want to leave without looking back, _almost_. However, today is a different day, today he finally has the determination to show her excatly what he thinks of her little dates with no-name men, and how she deserves someone much, _much_ better.

"Why are you here?"

"Hn."

"Damn it, Sasuke-kun, this is not funny," she snaps, "Natsuki-san was going to ask-"

"To be your boyfriend?" he scoffs, "how _cute_."

"Sasuke-kun," she grits her teeth, "who I date is not your problem."

"I wouldn't allow such a loser to date you," he tells her seriously.

"You're so stupid," she snaps, "I don't care what you think of the men _I_ choose to date, stay out of it!"

Yeah, Sasuke muses, he might be stupid, but there's also something else he is. Something he's more than positive she knows he is; impulsive. So without so much as thinking about it, without so much as giving her a response, or the proper time to react to something like this, he slams her right against her front door, and presses his lips to hers in a haste.

The kiss is everything Sasuke knew it would be, and her lips, they're as amazing and as as soft as they look.

He pulls away, only to press his forehead against hers,"Hn."

"Does this mean you want to be my boyfriend?" she asks breathlessly, her eyes searching his own.

He doesn't answer, merely gives her a smirk, before he leans down and presses his lips to hers once more.


	11. empty

seriously thought i had written this and I was lazing around when I noticed I didn't so I freaked out─slightly shorter than all the other ones, apologies in advance.

.

**title: **empty

**summary: **She knew well that just like the moon that sat up there, alone and sad without its stars, she'd be the same without Sasuke.

* * *

**day 11: **a night with no stars

* * *

She's tired of this.

She's been tired of this for a while, tired of feeling like she's feeling, tired of being second best to everything else. Tired of feeling like she'll never be someone important, someone who matters in that busy life of his.

That's why now she stands in front of her suitcase, stuffing everything that belongs to her in a haste. She needs to leave now because if she doesn't, because if she stays and he comes back, he'll make her stay again, he'll give her words she's always wanted to hear and she'll be putty in his hands once again.

For once, she doesn't want to be swayed, after all, he's made it quite clear that something like this between them will _never_ work out.

Stuffing the last of her clothes she shuts the large suitcase and wheels it out of the room. She looks up at the large clock at the end of the hall and notes that she'll make it out in time, he won't be around, he's not going to ruin everything like he always does.

This time around, she's going to do exactly what she says she's going to do.

She wheels the large suitcase to the entrance of their home, she stands up straight, taking her time and looking around at everything that made it _theirs_. There are pictures everywhere, pictures she took, pictures she refuses to bring along with her.

It'll hurt too much, she reasons.

Shaking her head she moves to open the door, but when she does that, he stands there, looking at her with slightly widened eyes.

It strikes her that she's never truly seem many expressions from him, but when his eyes move towards her suitcase they become filled with an emotion she's all too used to seeing from him; anger.

"Where are you going?" he asks, his tone is hard, but she will not falter.

"I'm going to be staying with Ino," she mumbles, "at least until I get everything sorted out and can-"

"Why." he cuts her off, because he's never been one to listen all the way through.

"Because I'm tired," she whispers, biting the inside of her cheek lightly, "tired of living like _this_."

"Living like what?" he asks, eyes narrowed.

She smiles up at him, "Sasuke-kun, enough, okay?"

"Why are you leaving?"

"I'm tired of loving someone who won't ever love me back," she tells him, the same sad smile on her lips, "tired of caring when you won't ever care for me."

"Sakura-"

"I'm not mad," she chuckles sadly, "you know I can never be mad at you, it's okay, really."

"Sakura-"

She moves past him, pushing the suitcase with little force, and he stands there, watching her leave with wide eyes. She stops short when she sees Ino waiting up ahead, and with relief washing over her she wheels the suitcase towards the blonde, who moves it into her car with ease.

Sakura looks back towards the entrance of the house, where he's still standing, looking shocked, looking confused, and she smiles, he's never truly changed.

Even now, he won't chase after her when it's apparent he wants to.

"Sasuke-kun!" she waves, a sad smile on her lips, tears gathering in her eyes.

His head snaps to her quickly, as he walks down the porch steps, his hand moves up as if to reach for her, but she knows him too well.

"Bye-Bye!" she waves, before slipping into the car and begging Ino to please drive off.

The blonde does so and soon enough the man she loves, and that place they called their home soon becomes a small object left.

She cries softly, keeping her eyes on the night sky, and it's weird, she muses, the last time she saw a night like this was back in high school. Back when he moved to Oto because of some offer he received from a teacher there, back when she begged him to stay and he told her he wouldn't, not even for her.

Back then, the night was similar to this, because they were both void of anything, void of any stars, any light, it looked empty, just how she felt. Who knew? She muses sadly, who knew this time around the roles would be much different.

Who knew she'd be the one who left him this time around?

"It'll be okay," Ino whispers, a hand rubbing gently on her back.

Sakura doesn't believe her, but she won't let her worry, "I know."

She knew well that just like the moon that sat up there, alone and sad without its stars, she'd be the same without Sasuke.


	12. my everything

this is part two to the previous prompt since I dislike _sad_ endings.

**.**

**title: **my everything

**summary: **She was the bright sun shining down on his pitch black life.

* * *

**day 12: **silver lining

* * *

Naruto was right, had always been right about this.

_"Keep being an asshole, keep pretending you don't care, or that you don't love her, and she'll leave you."_

Sasuke had always snorted, because she was Sakura, she was someone who constantly wanted to be with him. She was the one person who loved him unconditionally, the one person who stayed with him through it all.

He always had an inkling that she knew he cared and loved her.

She had to, she was Sakura, and he was Sasuke and that's just how things were. She was the bright sun shining down on his pitch black life.

She was the one who filled that once empty existence of his.

She was the silver lining on all those gray storm clouds that hovered over him on a daily basis. She was the sole reason he ever felt truly content with where his life had gone, and he knows that if his family were alive they'd all love her as much as he did.

Yeah, he loved her, more than anything in this world, but he had never been one to find the courage in him to tell her, but she had to know, because that's just how they were.

But now, he watches her move away from him in hurried paces, now, things are much different, it seems he had always been wrong about her thoughts.

She never once saw love from him, even though he had a broken heart full of it. She never saw happiness, even though that's all he felt when she was around him. She never saw anything even though he had it all for her.

She leaves quickly and without giving him proper time to react, with a small wave, a sad smile on her lips, tears in those beautiful green eyes. And he can only watch as she walks out of his life, without hearing anything from him.

The house is silent, that large bed in his room is too big now, it makes him sick to be in that house, to see her smiling face everywhere but to not have her around.

He knows he needs her, he knows it well, he's never not admit that, but then again, he's never once told her that either.

"I told you," Naruto mutters, scratching the back of his neck, "I knew this would happen."

Sasuke doesn't think he needs to answer that, he doesn't need to ─doesn't want to talk about her right now, because all it does it shatter him beyond repair, a little more than before.

"Sasuke," Naruto sighs, "have you tried talking to her?"

"No."

"Maybe you should do that," Naruto tell him, breaking his chopsticks apart, "maybe you should throw away that damn pride that got you stuck here, and show her you care."

"Hn."

"No, Sasuke, you don't get it," Naruto snaps, slamming his chopsticks on to the counter, "I saw her the other day."

He wants to ask Naruto if she doing okay, if those beautiful green eyes are any brighter than they used to be. He wants to ask if she's eating okay, if she smiles more, if she feels like this is what's best for them both.

But all that comes out of his mouth is a pathetic, "Hn."

Naruto sighs tiredly but doesn't say anything else, and their usually noisy 'lunch dates' turns into a really quiet, tense one.

Naruto finishes his ramen and slams money on the counter, giving the man behind the counter a nod and a wave, before looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"I'll be waiting for your action," Naruto tells him, "should you do nothing, I'll assume Sakura-chan was right in her beliefs, meaning I will never let you approach her ever again."

He stays quiet, chopsticks in hand as Naruto stands up straight and reaches over to grab his messenger bag.

"Later."

"Aa."

* * *

Logic is telling him that he shouldn't be here, that he should be at home contemplating all the different ways in which he will never be good enough for someone like Haruno Sakura.

But his heart, that damn thing that keeps beating more rapidly as he raises his fist to knock, tells him that this is a huge step for them both. This is him showing her that he loves her enough to come after her, enough to let her know he cares and wants her to come home.

He lowers his fist and sighs softly, what if she doesn't want to be with him anymore? What if she's found someone new to shift towards?

What if she's already left him behind in his hesitation?

He poises his hand to knock once more before it swings open, and his eyes widen as she stands there looking up at him with equally wide eyes.

"Sasuke-kun."

He stares down at her and wonders what ever allowed him to let someone like this girl leave his side. Starring down at her he's reminded of why exactly he chose to love her and her alone.

This girl, she makes him better, she makes him want to be a better person. She was the one who pulled him out of the darkness, she is his light.

"Why are you here?"

And he wants to tell her he's here to take her back home with him, where she's always belonged. He wants to tell her that he doesn't plan on letting her escape him that easily, and that she's damn well out of her mind if she thinks he's going to brood anymore over this.

But before he can even open his mouth he's pulling her towards him and sealing his mouth on hers. And this, he realizes, is what he's missed, her warmth, the feelings she evokes within him with a simple kiss, a simple look.

He pulls away, his forehead against hers as he whispers rapidly, "come home, come back to me, don't let me live like this anymore."

"Sasuk-"

The words die on her mouth when he kisses her once more, this time with more desperation than before. He just needs her to understand that he loves her, that he wants to be with her, that he cares so much for her. That his life is absolutely void of anything without her in it.

He loves her.

She breaks away from him, her small hand coming to rest on his cheek, "Sasuke-kun."

It's as sweet as he remembers, as achingly beautiful as he remembers, so he reaches once more to place his lips on hers, but she moves her head back.

"I love you," she tells him.

This time, he silently vows, this time things will be different.

"I love you too."

And he does, he loves her more than he's loved anything in his life. He loves her so much she's the only one he's ever wanted to marry, the only one he can picture spending the rest of his life with.

"I'll come home," she whispers.

He doesn't say anything, merely brings her into his arms, holding her tightly against him in fear that she'll disappear from his sight if he lets her go.

This time he won't allow her to leave, this time around he'll keep her right next to him, right where she belongs. This time around he won't ever let her go.


	13. maybe, just maybe

okay, I am not content with this whatsoever, I just posted it to get it out-of-the-way, plus I'm not sure if it totally fits in with the prompt, but I'm a little too tired to even deal with it atm, sorry guys!

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**title: **maybe, just maybe

**summary: **and now I'm falling for ya'

* * *

**day 13: **drowning

* * *

Sakura was a firm believer that you shouldn't date anyone unless you truly felt something special for that person.

Something that made your insides feel like it had a million little butterflies flying around it. Something that made your heart beat madly against your ribcage, that it almost felt like it'd burst right out, if given the chance.

That's why she's never really had a boyfriend.

She's just never met that guy that would make her feel like that. Sure, they were nice, and sweet, and deserving of a shot, but Sakura wasn't one to give anyone any form of false hope.

So, instead of dating around like her friends did, she waited patiently for a guy who'd make her feel the way she always dreamed of feeling.

She wanted the real thing, the one who'd make her feel like she was floating ten feet off the ground. Not some guy who made her feel "nice", she needed to actually feel something, to actually want to be with that person.

So she didn't bother with any of it, her time would come, she decided.

With a sigh, she picks up her bag and slings it over her shoulder, today she has to finish her english assignment since Hatake-sensei wanted it to be completed by tomorrow morning and she'd rather not have to deal with his "rage", or unusual punishments.

She walks down the halls of KU in search for the library, hoping against everything that she doesn't get lost, again.

It's been roughly a whole month since she transferred to KU and she hasn't really gotten used to how large it is. The hallways look all the same so it's always hard to tell where you're going and where you'd been.

"This would've been easier if I hadn't of lost that stupid map," she mutters.

Her eyes look around at all the room numbers, she's not sure where the library is exactly, but she figures she'll wind up close soon enough.

Or rather, that's what she wouldn't like.

But as her bad luck would have it, she was too busy paying attention to all the numbers on the doors that she never noticed the boy walking with a guitar case in one hand, his other hand gripping his backpacks strap, a very bored and unamused look on his face.

And just like that she crashed into him with a umph".

Her papers scattered around them, and his guitar case landed a little ways over. Opening her eyes, she prepared herself to apologize, but when she did that she was met with deepdeep_deep_ onyx eyes staring right at her.

"S-Sorry," she murmurs, green eyes never leave his own.

He doesn't say anything, merely looks at her, and she notes his eyes might be trying to read her own. With another apology she moves to get off him, crawling over to her fallen documents.

She's not sure what to call the hammering of her heart, but she knows it's no coincidence. She grips her papers in one hand and raises her other hand to touch her face; it's hot.

Wide green eyes move towards him once more, and she's stunned to see he's starring right back at her.

"I-I'm Haruno Sakura," she murmurs.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he replies, his voice smooth like velvet.

He helps her pick up her things before he picks up his guitar case and gets back up. She brushes the dirt off of her black skirt and fixes her shirt, before giving him another apology. He doesn't say anything merely gives her a nod of his head.

"Well, ex-excuse me."

She walks a grand total of two steps before he calls out to her, turning around she finds him walking towards her.

"Are you new."

Funny, it's not voiced like a question.

"Y-Yes," she mutters, "I transferred a month ago, if that counts?"

"Hn."

"Well, ex-"

"Are you lost?"

She blinks, cheeks burning red, "Actually, yes."

"Where are you headed?"

"Library."

"I'm going there as well," he says calmly, "want me to take you?"

She nods hesitantly and he begins to walk in the direction he just came from, she almost giggles behind her hand at his obvious lie but says nothing as they walk side by side.

Sakura's sure he can hear her heart beat because she sure can, but she wonders if it's because he's the one she's been waiting for.

Green eyes look up towards the dark-haired boy and she smiles, well, she supposes she'll just have to wait and see.

She sure hopes he is, though, she giggles.

"Are you okay?"

"Just fine."

"Hn."


	14. i'm coming home

i did not revise this, so I apologize for the mistakes I'm sure will be there! okay bye.

**title: **i'm coming home

**summary: **Sasuke, his departure and everything in between.

* * *

**day fourteen: **his side of the story

* * *

It's been two years since he's last seen her, he's not counting, just stating, really.

He likes to pretend that he doesn't miss her, that she means absolutely nothing to him, but he knows damn well that he'd be a liar. And a liar is something he's never once been, because he remembers her well, he remembers everything he shouldn't remember. He remembers the feel of her soft skin when she hugs him tightly, the wonder and complete adoration in her too green eyes. He remembers the way she always smiled for him, the way she would wait for his recovery.

The flowers she'd leave for him when he was in the hospital, the apple slices, and her patience. But the thing he remembers vividly is the one thing that made him feel a little more whole; her unconditional love.

He remembers all of it with an almost painful memory, because she's done nothing but haunt him ever since he left her. Haunt him with her sweet words, and her confession that meant more than he could ever tell her it did, the tears he can still see falling down her cheeks,

It haunts him, all of it, especially the way he left her on a cold bench, never once looking back.

That was two years ago, he muses, but remember, he's _not_ counting, just stating.

* * *

He's looking down at her, feigning indifference, but inside he's nothing short of a hellstorm.

Looking at her now, he notes that she's not much different from the girl who haunts his dreams, the girl he left behind. The only difference he can actually point out is that fact that this girl looks older, wiser, nothing like the naïve girl from that day.

He realizes that he wants to reach out to her, tell her that now she's welcome to join him, because he's stronger, and he can defeat his brother, _and_ he can protect her.

He can do it all, she just has to say yes.

He searches her green eyes, and there he sees everything he needs to see, she's slightly shocked, but underneath that he can see it clearly; the undeniable proof that the confession she gave him two years ago meant something. There in those green eyes of hers he sees nothing but love, love she's never denied him, swirling in them.

He takes a small step towards her, but before he can even jump down to her, the dobe runs in, and all hell breaks loose.

They try to fight him, bring him home like they had promised him they would, and he'd want that, _if_ he didn't have other priorities. And as far as he's concerned, right now, Uchiha Itachi's death is his only priority, that's the only thing he wants; to kill him

She moves to attack him, protect her teammates, and bring him home, too. It takes everything to calm his ragging heart, startled at the fact that she'd actually do something like that; attack him. He makes no move to defend himself from her, to attack her like he's been taught, because he doesn't want to hurt her ─he can't hurt her anymore than he already has.

He's promised himself that.

So, he ends things quickly, without causing them any fatal damage, leaving with his brand new teacher. He masks every single feeling in his heart with his usual mask of indifference, the last thing he needs is these people knowing they, she, mean something to him.

He'll see her, and them, again, someday, he'll make sure of it himself.

* * *

His brother is dead.

A goal he'd strived for throughout his whole life finally completed, but for one reason, or another, he muses looking down at him, he's not sure how he's supposed to feel. This, this was years upon years of training and suffering, and never looking back.

The single goal that had been present in his mind since that night, and he finally accomplished it, but even then, he realizes, it doesn't feel as amazing, and as liberating as he wanted it to feel. Looking down at his brother, who's no longer moving, who's not breathing, not alive, he suddenly feels completely and utterly empty.

It startles him, because for Itachi he's felt nothing but rage, and hatred, because this man's death is the only thing he wanted in his life. But now, he can't even properly say he's content with this outcome, because he's not, he realizes, he's just not.

His mind thinks back to the words she spoke to him in private once, _"Sasuke-kun, I don't think revenge will bring you happiness, I don't it it's ever brought anyone happiness, much less peace."_

His eyes move upwards towards the sky, once more before his gaze drops back down to his brother. He can almost laugh bitterly, because damn it, she was right about this, about everything. He falls forward on to his knees, before he lays next to his dead brother, because right now, he's not happy, he's not sure what he is. In fact, he's not anything, he's just there, moving and breathing, but none of this is properly registering in his brain correctly.

What is he supposed to do now that he has no goal to pursue, no one to hate?

What's to become of him now that he's killed his own brother?

His dark eyes move towards the sky and he notes that if he listens very carefully, he can hear her soft voice telling him, "I told you so, didn't I?"

And with nothing but bitterness, he realizes that, yeah, she sure did.

* * *

He wants to hate her, hate her right along with that pathetic excuse of a village he once called home.

However, having her right here, standing in front of him, looking ready and determined to leave with him, so willing to join him like she would've when they were younger, he just can't hate her. He can't hate the only person who's done nothing but good things for him, someone who filled that void in his heart, the one person who truly made him feel whole.

How's he supposed to hate someone who's that important to him?

The sane part of him, somewhere deep inside what's left of his heart, wants to bring her with him and never let her out of his sight, but one look into those too-green eyes and he sees it; she's not here to befriend him, nor join him, she's here to end this. When she doesn't complete the small task of getting rid of his no-longer needed teammate and instead tries to hurt him, he makes sure to not let her know how much her betrayal has affected him. Instead, he settles for giving her exactly what she had planned to give to him.

He ignores everything that he thought of this girl, ignores the feelings she evokes within him, he even ignores the faint voice in the back of his head that's pleading with him, telling him that he can't do this, that he's supposed to protect her.

It chants over and over that she's important, far too important.

But she betrayed him, she who he never thought would do such a thing to him. There is nothing but rage now, only revenge present in his mind, so he'll ignore all those pleading voices. Right now, there's no such thing as forgiveness in his mind or his heart, and she, she who is important, tried to kill him so he'll go ahead and try to kill her. After all, if she went so far then it's obvious to him that it means that she no longer cares for him like she used to.

So why on earth should he care?

So with no hesitation, he allows his chakra to flow to his palm, and his chidori springs to life. He's decided that he'll drive it right through her pretty heart, because she's nothing but a liar, and she never truly gave her heart to him, so he'll just take it by force instead, right?

His sharingan spins and he watches as his hand closes in on her, and his own heart, he notes, is beating rapidly against his ribcage. The voice is growing louder and louder, and it becomes difficult to pretend it's not even there. It makes him want to draw his hand back, but he can't, she tried to kill him first, she can't be forgiven.

So he continues until a hand shoots out of nowhere and grips his wrist, and suddenly he's sent flying, far, far away from the pretty girl who promised him her heart, but never truly meant it, the pretty girl he cares about, but was never able to tell her so.

He ignores the relief that washes over his body when Kakashi steps in and saves her.

* * *

He's back home, although he's not positive he can even call it that anymore.

There is a new clarity in his mind, and he's found a new goal and he has a brand new resolve, one that he'll see through to the end. Everyone is here, but the most important thing is that _she's_ here, and she looks just like he remembers her. She's wearing the standard Konoha uniform and she's healing the dobe but her eyes are glued to his own, and he can't fathom why he even left her to begin with.

Or why he tried to kill her, she's important, his mind repeats over and over, that's why.

He wonders if she'll take his apology, even if it's years upon years too late, he wonders if she'll still say she loves him. He wonders if she still holds what happened back in Iron against him, just like he used to hold it against her.

He expects her to be harsh, to question his motives and her trust to him. He expects her eyes to tell him that she feels nothing but a strong sense of hate for him, that she wants nothing more than to see him looked up like the criminal he is.

Instead, she surprised him and says his name in a way that's familiar, and it makes him wonder why he every left at all.

They start back up and he casts a sidelong glance, with a new-found determination he decides that he'll protect her to the ends of the earth.

* * *

Every single inch of his body aches, but it's alright now, because the war is finally over and they've won, and everything is finally okay.

She's healing Naruto at the moment, and from where he's standing, he can hear her scolding him inside the dobe's tent, telling him he's the most reckless dumbass she's ever met. He wants to talk to her, he wants to be certain of her feelings, he wants to hear the absolute truth from her, he wants her to look him in the eye and tell him exactly how she feels.

So he waits for her, and when she exits Naruto's tent he moves quickly towards her, gripping her shoulder and pulling her into a secluded section of the camp.

For a small second he takes her in, just as he's always done, and it hits him, once more, that he must have been stupid to have left her behind. His grip on her arm tightens slightly, because he fears that allowing her to move around with give her the chance to break free and leave him.

He refuses to have that anymore.

All he needs now is her reassurance, all he needs now is for her to whisper those sweet words she once said to him. He'll take anything, so long as she'll give him the chance to redeem himself, he swears it, he'll do things right this time, he won't screw it up.

He gives her a whispered apology, but it's sincere, and he hopes that it'll be enough for her. His eyes move from the ground to her, and he feels his heart speed up when he finds that she isn't frowning, instead she's looking up at him with those beautiful too-green eyes, and her lips are in that smile that he's only ever seen directed at him.

So without hesitating, he takes her small hand in his, and hopes that she knows what he means.

He pulls her in, breathing her in like she's the air itself, and _this_, Sasuke reasons, this is what he had waited for. This is what he had searched for, someone who had something like this for him, and she, she'd always had this, she's never once lost this feeling for him.

So he whispers in her ear that this time around, he'll give it his all, just for her, because she's different and because she's Sakura, and she matters.

Three words, that's all she gives him, and it lifts the weight off his shoulders, and instead of giving her a response that isn't himself, he'll give her a rare smile that he's decided will on be for her, and he presses his forehead against hers, "Aa."

And this, this is a long time coming, and now, he can finally say he's home.


	15. come back, be here

how about that ss panel today, though? For the record this was made before that chapter and I felt too lazy to go add in today's moment.

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**title: **come back, be here

**summary: **Sakura, flashbacks, and echos, and why she won't ever love someone else.

* * *

**day fifteen: **her side of the story

* * *

It's been roughly two years since she's last seen him, she knows this because she's been counting, counting and counting, and even wishing against everything that he'll return.

For two long years she's felt an empty hole in her heart, a piece he took with him when he decided revenge was more important than anything else. Ever since then she's wondered if things would eventually get better. For now, she reasons with herself, she'll keep a nice, pretty smile on her face, she'll allow her friends to attempt to mend her broken heart.

To be honest, she doubts they'll be able to, she doubts she'll ever be over this─over him. It's because every time she closes her eyes, she sees it─sees him─as if someone engraved the memory to the back of her eyelids.

It's always there, every time she closes her eyes, all she sees is his determination to leave the village, all she sees is how easily he broken her heart and left.

She knows well, that she should hate him, even if it's a little, after all, he's never once given her a reason to do anything other than that. However, she doesn't─can't hate him, not in the slightest, because at the end of the day no matter how much she knows she should, or how someone tells hers her she should, she just can't.

Someone how even called her a masochist, people who've only heard the gist of what happened, people who don't know a thing about him or her.

They call her foolish, and naïve for chasing a man who's only ever wanted revenge, and revenge alone, stupid, they say behind her back, for loving a man who's never once looked her way, for loving a criminal, a man who will never lover her back.

She lets them talk, because at the end of the day it doesn't matter to her, because despite everything they say, and everything they claim, she loves him unconditionally.

And _that_, she reminds herself, is the problem, because it's been two years since he's left, two years, and yeah, she's been counting.

* * *

She's looking up at him, her face betraying the emotions she so wishes she could just bottle up forever.

He looks different, she realizes, he's taller, much taller, and those beautiful dark eyes, they hold something much darker in them. He's staring down at her with all the indifference in the world, but she can't help but wonder if he remembers what they've been through, does it haunt it him like haunts her? Does he remember the way he left her on a cold bench, without so much as a thought after she confessed to him on that night?

She mentally scolds herself, because he, he's always been different, and if he's never had the time for such things, so why on earth would he now?

But then he says her name the way he's always done and she suddenly feels like she's been pulled back to two years ago. Her heart starts to ache once more, and she almost laughs bitterly at how he's managed to shatter it once more with just saying her name.

_Pathetic._

Her fists clench tightly as Naruto comes to a stop right next to her, he, however, voices his anger, and his shock, and all those pent-up feelings. Then they go at it, like they've always done, because this has never truly been about her, but right now that doesn't matter, because this, this is a promise of two years, and today has to be the day he returns home. Come hell or high water, she's determined to get him home, even if she has to drag him there.

She desperately tries to ignore the part of her that tells her it won't happen, after all, he's always been this way to her, and to Naruto, so unattainable.

So when they head home, empty-handed just like before, she desperately tries to pick up the broken pieces of herself. She makes a promise that he won't do that anymore─he can't, she chants over and over in her head, he can't break her heart anymore than he already has.

This time, she'll see to it

* * *

The news is unexpected, it's something she never wanted to hear; to kill him on sight to prevent further conflict.

He's a missing-nin and she's a loyal kunoichi to Konoha, and even then, her inner laughs at her, she can't forget every single thing she feels for him. So, it comes with no surprise when tears slowly start to gather up in her eyes, but she makes no move to fight them over the subject, it's an order, after all.

She tries to remind herself over and over, that this, this is his own doing, that he brought this on himself because he's always looked at things the wrong way, because he's never been one to let go of his grudges.

But all those reminders mean nothing, because in the end, she can't help but feel agony over it, she can't help but blame herself for failing to save him like she should've.

It's because she loves him, she reminds herself over and over, that's why this hurts as much as it does, because she's held on to him, and that sentiment for years.

Looking back, however, she finally realizes that such sentiment has gotten her nothing but a broken heart and guilty conscience. So, she looks up at Shikamaru with determination, and a promise to deliver the news to her other teammate herself.

They take it, and she starts then, the point of no return, because she plans to finally end this. End the agony he's brought on others, she's going to put an end to the guilt that he's made her feel for making another keep such a dangerous, and difficult promise. She's going to put an end to the burden everyone seems to carry on their shoulders because of him.

She's going to put an end to her heart breaking over, and over again.

* * *

She's not sure what she was even thinking, what she had hoped to accomplish when she had feelings like this.

Now, she's here, healing a girl she's never met, who he discarded without regretting it. She knows she's crying, because a single droplet lands on the girl's face, and she can see tears running down the girl's face as well, she wonders if this girl loves him as well.

She thought she was strong enough to do this, to save him like she promised herself she would, but in the end, he showed her just how wrong she was in her silly, little belief.

In the end, he only allowed her to raise herself up for a few seconds before he could send her crashing back down, like she means absolutely nothing, like she _is _absolutely nothing.

When she finishes healing the girl, she turns her head and moves towards the bride, peering over it to see her sensei trying to take him down. And he told her to say put, to not get involved because it was more than obvious how she felt, and what she couldn't do.

But she's promised herself to never be left behind, to finally save him from that darkness that keeps consuming him, to end all of this, all these binds. So she moves quickly to the other side, pumping the right amount of chakra to the sole of her feet and quietly making her way under the bridge.

She hangs there for short seconds before he comes staggering back, a hand trying to rub his eyes and relieve them of the pain. She wants to tell him that it's okay, that she can heal him, that she'll always heal him, and fix him, no matter what happens. But she knows he won't take her help, and this is her one and only chance to finally do what she has to, to free herself of the binds he has on her.

But when her kunai is poised at his back, her hand shaking, she can't do it, because she finally realizes something. Her love for this man is far greater than anything she's every told herself, and killing him, killing him means being without him. Killing him means that she will no longer have him around, killing him means that he'll be gone forever.

In her hesitation, he takes advantage, turning the tables and gripping her throat tightly, her own kunai used against her. She doesn't think that he's being cruel, because she's the one who tried to kill him first, it's like they say; you reap what you sow. So, she shuts her eyes, and hopes that it'll end soon, but nothing comes and suddenly she finds herself being lifted away from him by Naruto.

She ignores the voice that tells her she would serve a better purpose dead, then she wouldn't be feeling like she is now.

And once again, she has him to thank for that.

* * *

He's here.

He's decided to work with them instead of against them, he finally decided to be on their side for a change.

SHe doesn't know what she's supposed to say to him, because the last time they met the circumstances weren't the best ons, because if she shuts her eyes tightly she can still see her kunai, carefully poised at his back, right where his family insignia was.

She can see bleeding red eyes that have haunted her forever, laced with anger and something else that she was never truly able to decipher.

And she's worried sick that he'll turn around and look at her with nothing but loathing in his beautiful black eyes. She's worried that every single thing she's done against him will come back to haunt her, because it's her fault, right? She brought this on herself the minute she decided killing him was their only way out.

She calls his name out, just as she's always done, and he turns, eyes locked on her and her alone, he says her name in that voice of his, and she wonders why he doesn't sound angry, why he doesn't look at her with anger.

However, she's not given time to ponder further because they have to keep moving, they have to focus on victory, and victory alone.

She supposes that's how it's going to be until the war is over, maybe then she can talk to him. Maybe then, she can have the closure she's been trying to get from him for years, maybe, after all of this is over, she'll get the answers she needs, and then, she might have a peace of mind.

She tries to keep her mind off of what happened, because there are greater things to be worried about at the moment. But even then, her inner asks if she truly thinks he'll forgive her for what she's done to him, will she truly be able to look him in the eye and apologize for trying to kill him? She watches him out of the corner of her eye and frowns.

Will he be able to believe her if she tells him she loves him just as she did yesterday, just as she did all those years ago?

* * *

She heals Naruto, with a lot of squirming from his part, but after a few punches he settles down, and she decides that when she's finished she'll go and check up on Sai, and especially Kakashi-sensei, since he's more than likely to skip out on someone else checking up on him, choosing to be injured, on the brink of death, while he reads his Icha Icha book.

Instead she's pulled to the side, and she's ready to pummel someone to the ground when she catches sight of the same black eyes that have haunted her time and time again.

His eyes roam her for a split second, and she can't help but stand there completely motionless, because she should've known he'd want his answers from her now, not later.

So, she awaits his bitter and harsh words, waiting to hear everything she knows will come out of his mouth. She's ready to hear him tell her that her words were nothing but lies, that she doesn't actually love him like she had claimed she had, because damn it, she tried to kill him twice.

However, instead of that, he offers her a small apology, his voice no louder than a whisper, and his head bowed.

She's taken aback completely, because this─this isn't something she's used to. He's never been one to apologize this way, and yet, he stands right before her. Tired, and defeated, apologizing for his past sins, for everything he did wrong.

It makes her heart soar.

He raises his head, because she has yet to give him a proper response to his apology, but she can only look at him with happiness in her green eyes, and a bright smile on her lips. A smile that she's kept saved up for his eyes only, because this smile is for him, because of him.

When his large hand wraps around her smaller one she feels her heart speed up, because this is something from her most private dreams. Suddenly, he pulls her in, wrapping his strong arms around her, as if she'd disappear if he didn't.

And this, Sakura realizes, this is what she's been waiting for her whole life. That this boy is the one she will always love, no matter what happens, and no one will ever change that, because it's always been just him, him alone that she wants.

Her unwavering love, it's for him, and him alone.

He whispers in her ear, promises she's never thought he'd make and to her, and she takes them all in, knowing well that he'll keep them, because this is Sasuke, and Sasuke never makes a promise he doesn't intend to keep. So, she wraps her smaller arms around his torso and whispers three words she's reserved for him, and him alone.

Just him.

"I love you."

He doesn't give her much of a response, just a simple, "Aa," but when she pulls back, and watches a rare smile form on his lips, she decides that, that's good enough for now. He cares, in his own way, he loves her, too, and that's enough for her.

And this, this is a long time coming, and he's home, and she can finally say she feels whole.


	16. he knew

okay, so I think this might be the last time I update this here, just because it's a bit of a hassle, but I guess we'll see.

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**title: ** he knew

**summary: **alone they were strong, but together they were indestructible.

* * *

**day sixteen: **Indestructible

* * *

Naruto always knew that everything would turn out this way.

Even if a small part of him had initially hoped against everything when he was much younger, he had always secretly known the outcome would be this. It was a given, everyone knew that, much like the sky is blue, and the grass is green.

Sasuke and Sakura.

Years ago he would have snorted at such a statement, kicked, and screamed, and he would've been irritated, and angry at them for being the ones who ended up together. However, now that he knew them as long as he did, he saw what was there─what had always been there─and what wasn't there.

And Sakura's love for Sasuke had always been there.

Even when she had "confessed" to him, he had seen it in her eyes, even as they faced off against a vengeful, and lost Sasuke, it had always been there.

The undying love that she had for Sasuke, the one that did it's best to guide Sasuke down the right path, keep him sane. To be honest, Naruto's positive her love had a great role in saving him, he knew better than anyone that her love made him whole again. It filled the ache that had been left behind by his brother, and the loss of his family.

Looking at them now, happily married, he's glad that things ended the way they did. With just looking at them, he realizes that there has never been someone as right for Sasuke as Sakura.

Someone who has always been determined to stick by his side, someone who stuck by his side, no matter what he did. She had always been ready to drop anything in a flash, just to help him, just to make everything okay for him. She's someone who can give him the love that was stolen from him when he was a child. The one and only person who can keep Sasuke from the darkness that once encased his heart.

And the same could be said for Sakura; there is no one as right for her as Sasuke. Someone so willing to protect her at all costs. He had always been prepared to jump in should she ever need him, even if it was at the cost of his own life. He's the someone who can give her what she wants, the one who will look after her, and protect her with everything's he got. The one person who'll take her love, and give it right back.

He grins, watching them together, they've always seemed so indestructible to him.

Despite what happened, despite him leaving her that night, despite what happened back in Iron, despite it all. They have always proven the world wrong, they have always shown everyone just how right they are for each other.

He watches as Sakura places a small kiss at the corner of Sasuke's mouth, her lips forming the biggest smile he's ever seen from her. And in return, Sasuke bends down to actually give her a small kiss on the lips.

He grins, yeah, it was always meant to be like this.

It's always meant to be them together, because in all honesty, what is a night sky without its moon and its stars? What is a song without notes, and a melody? What's the spring without the flowers and the warmth?

And what on earth is Sasuke without Sakura?


	17. undeserving

changed my mind, 'cause it feels a bit pointless to not finish it here! enjoy

**.**

**title: **undeserving

**summary: **He doesn't think he's ever been deserving of someone like her, not after what happened.

* * *

**day seventeen: **Monster

* * *

Sasuke looks at her carefully.

It's been years since he returned to Konoha, and even more years than that since he left her behind on a cold bench. And, most importantly, it's been years upon years of her unconditional love that have gotten them here.

He's happy to be married to her, he never really doubted he would've married anyone else. Even when he was insane with the need to burn Konoha to a crisp, a part of him always knew that Sakura was the one exception to everything and everyone. That if he could've had a happy life, he would've always been at her side, no matter what.

He doesn't think he deserves her, however, he doesn't think that he could ever deserve someone as amazing as her.

After all, she's fragile, and she's someone who's never been tainted by darkness like he has. She is someone special, who should always smile, always, someone who should never be brought down by someone like him.

Someone who's selfish, and cold, someone who was once willing to kill her, because that's how lost he was. Someone who is in every sense of the word, a monster.

He runs his hand down the side of her face and watches as she shifts closer to him. A small smile graces her lips and he's not sure what on earth he did to deserve someone like this.

He gathers her in his arms and buries his face into her hair, even if she's forgiven him, he hasn't been able to forgive himself because something like that, something so completely twisted can't be forgotten, even if she claims she has.

He knows she has nightmares every now and then, he's not an idiot. He's trying to get rid of them for her, trying to help her, but how can he when he hasn't full forgiven himself?

When he's well aware of how much of an idiot he's been, when he knows well that his anger and rage bested him? How on earth is he supposed to tell her that he's truly sorry, that he can't accept her forgiveness, because he doesn't deserve it.

"I'm sorry," he breathes out, holding her tightly against him.

She moans softly, shifting in his arms until she opens her eyes slowly, "S-Sasuke-k-kun?"

He looks down at her and wonders why on earth she's loved him through it all. What on earth would make someone like her fall in love with someone like him? Why would someone who's deserving of nothing but the best settle for a monster like himself?

He doesn't say anything, merely hugs her tighter, she shifts until she's sitting up, causing him to sit up as well.

"Are you okay?" she asks softly, her small hand on his cheek,"did you-"

"I'm so sorry," he breathes out, like he's done many times.

She blinks, "For what?"

"For what happened," he tells her, hugging her tighter, "I'm sorry for everything I've ever done to you."

"Sasuke-kun."

"I'm sorry I'm so messed up, I'm sorry I almost killed you," he whispers rapidly, "I'm sorry you're married to a monster like me, I'm so so sorry, Sakura."

She doesn't say anything, merely pushes away from him, she reaches over and turns on the lamp by her bedside. Her green eyes lock on his own and he's slightly surprised to see the determination swirling in them.

"Sasuke-kun," she frowns, "why are you apologizing?"

"Because I-"

"No," she cuts him off, "no, you have absolutely nothing to ask forgiveness for."

"Sakura I-"

"No, you don't need to keep asking for something I've given you a long time ago," she tells him seriously.

He reaches for her hand, grasping it tightly in his own, "I'm sorry."

"Sasuke, we're married," she smiles kindly, the same smile that's saved him time and time again, "and I love you, unconditionally, and you know what that means?"

"What?"

"It means no matter what may happen between us, I will always love you," she laughs, "I will love you without reservation, without holding back, I will love you even if you can't love yourself, I will love you through everything."

She wraps her arms around him and he holds her tightly again him.

He's unsure of why she's this forgiving, of why she's so hellbent on loving someone like him. But even if he's undeserving, he appreciates her love, everything she's ever done for him, he appreciates it.

So for now he'll take it, he'll take it and he'll be happy with where they are, because she loves him unconditionally, despite everything, she loves him.

And he can't help but feel whole at the prospect.


	18. long time coming

to be honest, I had a difficult time trying to figure out how I wanted to go about this, so in the end, I hope this is good enough.

**.**

**title: **long time coming

**summary: **all she wanted was to ignore him, stay far, _far_ away, who knew he'd be so persistent?

* * *

**day 18: **dropping your guard

* * *

Sakura bites her lip lightly.

She peers around the corner of the hall and curses herself for her bad luck. She knows if her shishou catches her sneaking around like this she'll ask in that loud voice of hers, what she's doing, and they'll catch her─or rather, he'll catch her.

And right now, the last thing she needs is to come face to face with Uchiha Sasuke.

Not because she hates his guts─she's over all of that─but because if she sees him, she'll fall. She doesn't want to fall, not for him, at least, because she's so tired of it all.

So, tired of pretty boys with deepdeep_deep_ eyes that she finds herself drowning in every single day, so tired of a secret relationship that only makes her heart hurt and her stomach clench, because she refuses to keep on being someone's dirty little secret.

That's why she's now here, hiding away from her teammates, and making sure her missions aren't with them, or near them, or nothing. She doesn't want to see Uchiha Sasuke for a very, very, _very_ long time, not until she's over all of this.

When she hears no sudden voices coming from anywhere, she moves away from the wall and starts her way over to her shishou's office, after all, she needs to hand in her own reports over a new antidote she made for the poison she barely figure out.

She takes a grand total of three steps, her small hand still on the wall she was leaning on, when he appears in front of her.

She yelps, her eyes wide as she stumbles back, why didn't she sense him? Why couldn't she feel his chakra, when it was so obvious, after all, it's as chaotic as she knows it to be. Why on earth has this man caught her off guard for the millionth time?

"Sakura."

She flinches slightly when he says her name, because him saying her name like that is always the start of something, something that winds up getting her in sticky situation with her mind, and her heart.

"Sasuke-kun," she chuckles nervously, "I-I've gotta hand these in to Tsunade-sama, excuse me."

"You're avoiding me, why."

She doesn't understand why his questions never actually sound like questions. To her, they've always sounded like demands, but she supposes that it comes with being who he is. She grips the scrolls in her hands tightly, clearing her throat as she takes a small step back.

He takes one forward.

"S-Sasuke-kun, I-I've really gotta' go," she stammers, a small smile on her lips, "p-please excuse me."

"No."

His voice is hard, she's heard it before when he reprimands some his ANBU team. She's heard it many times directed at herself, when she's done something he doesn't deem _appropriate, _namely, when she allows a man to talk to her.

"Sasuke-kun, look, now's not the time, we-"

"When is the time, then," he snaps, "you're avoiding me, there is no time other than now."

"Look, it's not my fault," she frowns, "nor does it matter, anymore, I've decided what I want to do."

"And what's that."

"Look, we're different, I think it's best if we just stop," she sighs, "if we just stop kidding ourselves, and just not do what we've been doing anymore."

In a fast movement, one almost impossible to track, he has her pinned against the wall next to them. Her scrolls all fall from her hands, scattering around them, but she's too stunned to make a move to grab them.

"Kidding ourselves," he breathes out, "no, the only one kidding their self is _you_."

"That's why-"

"You kid yourself into thinking I could give absolutely two shits about you," he tells her, eyes narrowed, "right."

Her eyes widen, "W-What, n-no."

"You think that all we have is a casual fling, just because I don't want to tell anyone."

"Sasuke-"

"Listen, no, this isn't some casual fling," he tells her, dark eyes staring into her own, "what I feel for you isn't some joke, it isn't something to be toyed around, or taken lightly, Sakura."

"S-Stop," she pushes at his chest.

"Yeah, I don't want to tell anyone, because I'd hate to let anyone else be in on our business," he tells her seriously, "not because I'm ashamed of you, not because this is just something quick to be done where no one else can see."

She looks at him carefully, looking into his eyes desperately searching for proof that this isn't some fake confession, but even then, she knows it feels different. This Sasuke that stands before her, is actually letting her in, he's actually dropping those walls, dropping that guard that he's always kept up, all for the sake of saving something that she thought only meant something to her.

"Sasuke-kun," she breathes out, "I do-"

"I want to marry you someday," he sighs, placing his forehead against hers, "I want to spend my life with you, you aren't some fling, some girl I plan to throw away."

She watches as he bends down a little more, his lips brushing her own. Her heart beat picks up, like it always does when he kisses her, or when he's too near.

The kiss is gentle, nothing like their quick and frenzied kisses, given because the heat around them has become too much to handle. This kiss is gentle, everything Sasuke's never been, it's gentle and it's sweet, and in it she can feel every overwhelming feeling that's in Sasuke's heart.

Her hands fist in his shirt and he deepens the kiss, still allowing it to stay slow, to keep on being that kiss that's meant to sweep her right off her feet. A kiss that should show her exactly how much love he feels for her.

He pulls away, keeping his forehead on hers, his lips brushing her lightly, "Do you get it, now."

She nods.

"Hn," he smirks, "good, 'cause I was starting to miss you."

She giggles softly as he presses his lips to hers once more, but this kiss is short. He pulls away before crouching down to collect her scrolls, she does the same, and smiles brightly when he hands them over to her.

"I've gotta' take these, now," she whispers, "later, Sasuke-kun."

He stops her, catching her elbow, "come back to my house."

"Sasuke-kun."

"I'll be waiting, we have something...important to talk about."

She nods slowly, "S-Sure."

He gives her a fleeting kiss, before he disappears in a cloud of smoke, she shrugs lightly before walking over to Tsunade-sama's office, a large smile on her lips.

* * *

Sasuke walks home with a smirk on his lips, his hands holding on tightly to a small velvet box with a little white bow wrapped around it.

He hopes she doesn't mind.

After all, he's not one to allow Sakura to catch him off guard without doing the same in return. Although, he figures his little surprise might actually catch her by surprise.

And this ring, this beautiful ring that once belonged to his mother, well, he can honestly say that he can't picture it on any finger other than her own.

He pockets the box and smirks, this one's been a long time coming.


	19. thank you

okay, a bit late, I understand but it's only due to the fact that I have a hectic schedule─enjoy.

**.**

**title: **thank you

**summary: **this is what he's always wanted

* * *

**day 19: **rusty

* * *

He's nervous to say the least.

It's been three years since he's last done this and he feels so unprepared. What if he does it wrong? What if something terrible happens just because he didn't remember how it was done correctly? He just couldn't live with himself if something bad happened.

"Sasuke-kun."

His eyes move away from the warmer to the woman lying on the bed, looking at him with tired eyes and a small smile on her lips.

He knows well that she can read him like a book, because he's not fully focused on masking his emotions for once. He's too busy being concerned with doing something wrong and completely screwing things up.

"Sakura, I can't."

She arches a brow, before she giggles softly, sitting up slowly. He reaches over quickly to help her sit up and sighs when she smacks his hands away.

"I can do it myself," she protests," come on, bring the warmer closer, please."

He brings the warmer to her, watching as she reaches over and collects the small bundle inside. He feels his heart beat faster, eyes glued on the light blue blanket in Sakura's arms.

"Sakura-"

"Look at how cute he is," Sakura coos, "looks like he has your hair, Sasuke-kun."

He grunts, his eyes glued on the small infant, he wants to hold him, badly, but he's scared. The last time he held a newborn baby was when Itachi was first born, three years ago─three _long _years ago.

"Can I see him?" he asks tentatively, eyeing the bundle.

"Of course, but why don't you hold him?" she asks, smiling brightly despite her tiredness.

"I can't," he sighs softly.

"Sasuke-kun, sure you're a little rusty, but I promise nothing bad will happen," she smiles, trying to hand their child over to him.

He stands up, shaking his head and crossing his arms. Sakura merely sighs softly, gently reaching over to place the small child back in the warmer. She doesn't say anything else on the matter, and merely begins to fix her blanket.

"I'm sleepy," she declares, yawning, "I'm going to sleep, okay?"

He nods, watching as he turns on her side, facing the warmer. Her eyes shut minutes after and soon enough her breathing evens out. He sits back down, fully content with placing his head on the bed and holding her hand.

He refuses to go home to an empty house, especially since Itachi went to Naruto's until they release Sakura.

He sighs, his head landing softly on the mattress of the hospital bed. He reaches over and brushes his fingers lightly against her own hand. He doesn't place his own on it, nor does he make to reach for it, instead he sits up straight and eyes the warmer once more.

There's an aching need to hold his child, because that's something he wants to experience with every child they have. He doesn't want to lose a moment with them, because he wants them to grow up feeling extremely loved, he wants them to know that he loves them all very much, that he will stand by them for as long as he can.

He stands up and hovers over the warmer, eyes remaining fixed on the bundle sleeping soundlessly in the warmer.

He reaches inside with one hand, before his finger pokes at the infants cheek. He's chubbier than Itachi was when he was little, he notes, with a small smile.

"Hello there," he whispers, "I'm dad."

The child doesn't move, sleeping as if he said nothing at all, and Sasuke smiles, a part of him soaring with the thought of spending time with him. Training with him, teaching him all the techniques he learned from his own father, teaching him how to master his sharingan. He imagines that this one will be the most troublesome one of the bunch, he'll get on Itachi's nerves, but he'll love his older brother with everything.

He runs his hand across the childs small patch of black hair. He remembers when he was wide awake, eyes open, a green that looked so much like Sakura's. He has no doubt in his mind that this one will be the ladies' man of the house.

He's positive he and Sakura's in for a ride with this one.

He looks over to his sleeping wife and sighs softly, before looking back over to his newborn son. He takes a deep breath in and moves both of his hands to pick him up gently.

At first he feels awkward about it, but soon enough he has him secure and it feels right. He looks down at the sleeping infant and he laughs softly. This baby, this baby is a new form of happiness, and just like every other form of happiness in his life, it was given to him by Sakura.

He sits on the chair just like before, his child in his arms, and everything feels right. His lips form a small smile as he leans back, eyes falling shut, he's happy, he's happy with his family, and he'll continue to be happy.

All because of the pink-haired girl who never gave up on him, who saw the good in him through it all. He allows sleep to overtake him, dreams of a happy family he now has, dreams of a future with his children, dreams of spending forever beside Sakura's side.

This─this is what he's always wanted.

* * *

_"Thank you."_

* * *

**extra note: **okay, my own personal headcanon is that they have two boys first, and their last child is a girl (thank God, 'cause Sakura was gonna make Sasuke keep trying until they got one).


	20. 21: forget me not

**had** a late night yesterday, thus i didn't really remember to update this, so we're one day off, but it's alright! Maybe at the end of the month I can post it, or whatever. hope this makes up for it.

.

**title: **forget me not

**summary: **she was a beautiful, beautiful dream, and maybe that's why it hurt so much

* * *

**day 21: **rewind the time

* * *

Today was the big day.

They had prepared for this day in a short span of four months, because that's the amount of time he had given her. _No more_, he had said, _it'll give you time to think about how much of a boring asshole I am and you'll end up leaving me for someone better._

And now, he stood in a room with his groomsmen wondering why people went through with things like this. His intestines felt like they were being squeezed and tugged, his stomach felt like he had swallowed a million butterflies, and they were all swarming around looking for an escape.

Hell, even his palm were sweaty, something the dobe, and the tawt made sure to point out.

He knew he shouldn't be nervous and sweaty, for crying out loud, he's more than positive his Uchiha ancestors are rolling around in their grave at the sight he must make. Because he keeps running his hands through his hair, keeps cursing at Naruto for no reason whatsoever, and he keeps pacing back and forth.

His father talks to him for a few minutes, telling him that his nerves are natural, he had them on his own wedding day. Then, when his mother turns around to scold Naruto and Sai he discreetly he passes him a tiny bottle of vodka, claiming that all he needs is a little liquid confidence to get on with it.

However, his mother pulls it out of his hands and claims that he'll accomplish nothing with alcohol. She presses a kiss to his forehead and promises that everything will be all right, and teasing him about his future bride, who's sitting in her own room pacing back and forth with the same worries he has.

"She looks beautiful", his mother gushes, "you're going to fall even more in love, Sasu-chan."

She wishes him good luck after that, claiming that it'll all be over soon and that in a few hours he'll be a married man to a beautiful woman. She leaves shortly after, tearing off his father's ear for giving him alcohol before he has to go and get married, calling him a bad better. To his father's credit, though, he doesn't look _all_ that frightened.

He goes back inside, only to see his brother walk in with a confident aura radiating off of him. He pats his shoulder and gives him advice on how to not fuck up so early on in the game, and Sasuke takes it, after all, his brother has been married for three years.

And then he hugs him, telling him that he's proud of who's he's become with her at this side, and that he wishes the absolute best for both of them.

When he leaves his so-called friends start bugging him again with their insults and teasing. Sasuke wishes he could just kill them all and just not have to deal with groomsmen, but he's positive his future-wife won't like that one bit, plus, he'll probably have to go to jail.

When his mother walks back in to tell him that it's time to get going he feels his heart race, and his palms become even more sweaty and disgusting, he seriously hopes she won't mind.

He takes his place at the front of the altar waiting patiently for her, and when the music the butterflies swarm faster and his heart feels like it'll explode. He tries his best to calm his breathing as Naruto whispers a ton of insults and how he'll probably fuck up.

And then she walks down the aisle looking like a princess from those fairy tales he never believed in. Her beautiful pink hair is tied up in a elegant up-do and he can see the small butterfly clip, that means the world to her, sticking out. She's looking up at him with bright green eyes, happiness much more greater than he's ever seen. Her dress is big and it makes her look like a pastry, but even then, he can't imagine how beautiful she looks, and all of that because she's going to marry him.

His father hands her to him with a small warning and a good luck before he moves away from them.

Throughout the ceremony he steals glances at her and she does the same, her lips never fall from her big, bright smile. He's happy, he realizes, happier than he's ever been in this lifetime, and all because of this beautiful woman with too-green eyes, and pink hair.

_He_ loves her, he _loves_ her, he loves _her._

When he says I do, it feels official, it feels like he's proving it right then and there, and she does, too, because she doesn't even allow the priest to finish before she's giggling an, "I do."

The priest gives them their blessing, and then he smiles allowing him to kiss_ his _bride. His heart soars as he pulls her closer, watching as her cheeks hold a light shade of pink to them, she places her small hand on his cheek and meets him halfway.

It's when he's so close he can almost taste her lips that his eyes snap open, and he sits up.

He feels his heart clench painfully as he runs a hand through his sweaty, messy hair. He runs his hand down his face and isn't surprised to feel tear tracks down the side of his face, this is a regular occurrence, it's happened for three whole months now, and he doesn't know how to make it stop.

He lays back down, one hand shielding his eyes from the offending sunlight, his other hand reaching over to the spot next to the bed. His hand moves up and down, hoping to find someone there sleeping, her chest rising and falling as she sleeps soundly by his side, having dreams of their future, of what should've been.

But it's empty, just like he is.

She hasn't been here for three months and he misses her terribly, he removes his hand away from eyes and looks up at the ceiling. He feels his heart clench as he thinks about her and their could've been, he doesn't even feel surprised when the tears start to run down his cheeks.

"I miss you," he whispers out into the nothingness, eyes firm on the ceiling.

His eyes shut and he allows the dream to consume him one last time, because that's all he has left. That's all she left behind for him to have, her memory and a dream that she had hoped to make come true on this day, this was supposed to be their special day, and now she's gone, just like that.

_"I love you_."

**.**

**.**

**.**

_"Mr. Uchiha?"_

_"Y-Yes?"_

_"I'm Dr. Kitamura in charge of Ms. Haruno's case, I apologize, but I have terrible news, Mr. Uchiha we're-"_

_"Is she okay?"_

_"We're sorry, she didn't make it."_


	21. 22: found

enjoy

.

**title:** found

**summary: **Sakura, Sasuke, and a secret that just couldn't be kept.

* * *

**day 22: **exposed

* * *

Sakura isn't saying she likes secrets, but she isn't against them either.

They're there to keep people out of things they shouldn't know, it assures you that no one will talk about it, only you'll know. Keeping secrets was just something natural, she's positive everyone has secrets, she doesn't think she's met a person who hasn't.

Oh yeah, her painfully honest, blunt, and straight to the point boyfriend, or lover, she's not sure what they are yet.

She knows well that Sasuke absolute hates secrets, he hates keeping things from people. He once told her that he'll never have anything to hide from her, secrets don't exist in his life apparently. He told her that he'd tell her if he fucked up, or if he did something she wouldn't like, no secrets, ever.

Honestly, she kind of wishes Sasuke would like to keep secrets. Not because she wants him to be a lying, cheating boyfriend, but because him not liking them makes her current secret risky.

She types away at her computer, eyes glued on the screen since she needs to finish her assignment to turn into Tsunade-sensei in the morning.

He had barged into her apartment over an hour ago with cake in one hand and lemonade in the other and a promise of a "good time", but she had rolled her eyes, taken the snacks and asked him to leave since she had a term paper due, and couldn't afford any..._distractions._

And she knows this man, he tends to be insatiable.

She snorts mentally, if any girl heard her say something like that they'd probably castrate her. Any girl would love to spend time with the dark-haired boy. Don't get her wrong, she's on the same boat, but this paper is half her grade and she needs to pass, so for now, the only company she needs is that of her thick medical text books and her laptop.

Not Uchiha-_freaking_-Sasuke.

"Sakura."

She mentally sighs, and doesn't look up, she should've known he would get bored eventually, plus, he'd been too quiet for her liking. She watches from the corner of her eye as he picks up a thick medical textbook, opening it to a random page and skimming it, his brow furrows the further down he reads and she almost snorts, go figure.

He slams the book shut before placing it back where he got it from. He then sighs loudly, leaning back against the couch, placing his arms behind his back and shutting his eyes.

She's not sure why he's actually here, they had agreed to just meet up this weekend, before he left again. He had just barged in and claimed to have something important to say, and when she said no, he just said he'd wait.

She tries to go back to work but his lips form a smirk and suddenly she's very curious about what has him so smug? Is there something he did that she should know about?

"Sasuke-kun, when you smirk like that it worries me."

"Hn."

"Something wrong?"

"Why do you keep our little...thing a secret?"

Sakura removes her hands away from the laptop, eyes remaining frozen on the screen. She doesn't say anything in response, merely arches a brow, wondering what possessed him to ask _that_, she's sure they've been over this.

She watches as his smirk widens, and he almost looks amused, she's positive he'd laugh, well, if he wasn't Uchiha Sasuke.

She purses her lips before speaking, "Because you're a celebrity, I thought that was pretty obvious?"

He doesn't say anything in response, his smirk just remains in place and he continues to lean against the couch.

The way he looks now makes her want tor each over and sock him good, you know, just to teach him a little lesson about being so smug when it came to her. No man has ever gotten the best of her, and just because this asshole was a pop star didn't mean he'd get the best of her.

Over her dead body.

"What if word got out?"

"Sasuke-kun, I don't see how that can happen," she sighs.

He smirks, before shaking his head, tsking, "Is that so, Sa-ku-ra? How_ naïve _of you, really."

She frowns, "Oh yeah, why do you ask?"

"Just asking," he smirks, "anyways"

"Sasuke-kun."

"Indulge me, baby, what if word got out that we were...you know-"

"Fucking?" she supplies with a smirk of her own.

She knows he doesn't like that term, doesn't like when she uses it to describe what they do. Mostly because he's always been clear that his intentions aren't to just bed her and leave her the next morning.

"Dating," he grits his teeth.

She laughs, "I suppose it'd be bad, right?"

He frowns, "How come?"

"Come on, Sasuke-kun, don't be serious," she sighs, "it'd be difficult to have privacy, we'd have cameras flashing in every direction, everything we did would be put on magazines."

"I wouldn't mind it," he says.

"Sasuke-kun, I like having you all to myself," she smiles shyly, "especially since on stage you belong to many other girls."

"I do not," he frowns.

"Do too," she rolls her eyes, a smirk in place, "I've seen plenty of 'I heart Sasuke-sama' posters to prove it."

"They're just fangirls," he snorts.

"Sasuke-kun, that's not my point," she smiles,"I like being intimate, and with cameras flashing this way and that, ready to publish everything about me, about you, about us, it makes me nervous."

"So you wouldn't want us to be found out?"

"Not really, no," she bites the inside of her cheek, "it'd make me feel exposed, but should it happen, I don't think-"

He throws the magazine in front of her, "came in the mail today.

Sakura frowns, well that was..different, usually Sasuke paid no mind to the tabloids, or magazines. According to him everything they've ever posted about him has been lies, and he hates liars, and the people who read the stupid magazines.

She reaches over for the rolled up magazine, wondering why he looks so smug once more. She unrolls it and her eyes widen at what she sees on the cover.

"Sasuke-kun."

"Aa."

She takes in the image of her and him on the front cover of this magazine. In big, eye-catching letters the words "Uchiha Sasuke's New Girlfriend" make her eye twitch.

The picture was taken at Naruto's "Birthday Extravaganza"(since just calling it a birthday party sounded lame, and he wasn't lame, nope, _never_). She was grinning at him, in that teasing way of hers when she denied him something.

Her head was tilted up, his lips brushing against hers, he looked dazed, like he was wrapped right around her little finger.

"Oh my gosh," she gasps, opening the magazine to the article.

_Caught red-handed at Uzumaki Naruto's Birthday Extravaganza was none other than the famous lead singer of the band, Mangekyo, Uchiha Sasuke. According to sources this beautiful pink-haired lady is a childhood friend of both band members(Naruto, Sasuke), Haruno Sakura. The two were seen all throughout the birthday celebration, holding hands and sharing a few kisses here and there. Whether they're a offical item has not yet been confirmed since the other members of the man refuse to speak on Sasuke's behalf, and no interview with Sasuke has officially been made. _

_However, it is possible that the two have been dating for quite some time. Many people have speculated that this relationship started almost five months ago at Yamanaka Ino's celebratory dinner party, the two were seen talking together quite often, sharing glances and whispering to each other every now and then._

_Not to mention lead singer Uchiha Sasuke has had several songs where the theme of it all was being in love. We have reason to believe that plenty of the songs are indeed written for her. Not to mention in an interview two months back the lead singer claimed that the songs were of sentimental value because he had indeed written them about someone, but no one had actually been able to find out who that special girl was. _

_We can only assume at this point that Uchiha Sasuke has finally found himself someone pretty, and amazing enough to date him. Sorry ladies, seems the number one heart-throb is no longer up for grabs._

The article goes on for a few more paragraphs about their supposed relationship, and Sakura shakes her head. She closes the magazine and wonders how on earth she could completely forget who he was and what that meant.

Seems their secret isn't much a secret now.

"_Sakura._"

"Sasuke-kun," she bites her lip lightly, "everything here is-"

"Right?" he supplies, "I know."

"What do we do?"

"Nothing, what can we do?" he asks, looking at her, "Lie?"

"I don't want to ruin things for you, maybe that'd be bes-"

"I don't care, you shouldn't either," he sighs, "it doesn't matter to me whether anyone else knows, I don't care, it won't make me like you any less."

"Sasuke-kun, should you tell them we are I think it'd be difficult to handle," she whispers, "we wouldn't be able to be together as often."

He takes her hand, bringing it up to his lips, "I like you─no─I love you, and I don't want you to feel like this is all too much, I'm with you every step of the way."

"I know, but-"

"But nothing, I'm not dumping you, you're not dumping me, it's okay, we're going to be okay," he takes a deep breath, "I want people to know that you're the one I'm dating, the one I'm in love with, the one who I claim as my muse."

Her eyes widen, before she smiles brightly, "O-Okay."

He presses a kiss to the back of her hand before bringing her on to his lap. She squeaks in surprise as he steadies her, a smirk on his lips as he goes in for a quick kiss.

He pulls away, looking at her carefully, "Plus, it's good practice."

"Good practice?" she echos, looking amused, "for what exactly?"

"Imagine how much publicity you'll get when we get engaged, babe," he smirks.

Her eyes widen and she turns bright red at his blunt words, yeah, no secrets here. He doesn't give her time to respond as he goes in for another kiss.

She supposes she'll let that one slide for now.


	22. 23: smile for me

I honestly, had a difficult time trying to figure out what I would write for this one, needless to say I'm not all that content with how it turned out─happy birthday to Sasuke.

.

**title: **smile for me

**summary:** it's raining outside, it's his birthday, and he couldn't ask for more.

* * *

**day 23: **a hot cup of tea

* * *

It's raining today.

He doesn't even remember seeing any clouds in the sky, but here he is, walking in the rain trying to get _home. _He snorts, he hasn't been able to call it that for a very long time.

After the war, he had decided it'd be best to leave, travel a bit, he wanted to find himself. He didn't want jump head first into something he didn't think he was fully ready for. So, he looked at the hokage straight in the eye and told her he'd serve his probation when he returned, no sooner, no later.

She had rolled her eyes before smirking, a "fine" on her lips as she whirled around to continue helping out those who survived.

Now, four years after the war he was walking through the muddy land on his way down the familiar path that led to the village he calls home. His feet make squelching noises every time his feet make contact with the muddy ground.

A strange feeling of relief washes over his system as he sees the gates coming into view. It's almost amazing that years ago he would've been completely against doing this─against going home once and for all.

He masks his chakra and pulls his hood over his head, at the moment he has nothing he wants to say to people who aren't his former teammates.

His feet carry him through the familiar path to the dobe's home, and when he's there he knocks on the door loudly, he hears shuffling inside before the door opens.

"What? It's almost midnight-"

"Dobe."

He stops speaking and his blue eyes widen at the sight of him, "Teme, eh, you're back?"

He smirks, "Aa."

The blond idiot laughs before placing an arm around him, he begins to chatter like nothing ever happened. Like they didn't trying to kill each other, like he hadn't betrayed them, going on and on about how he's going to be hokage next month.

Sasuke isn't sure what he wants to call the feeling that's surfacing, perhaps it's nostalgia, but he won't venture further than that.

"So, have you seen Sakura-chan yet?" he asks, his voice seemingly more serious than before.

"No."

"Do you plan to?"

"Hn."

The blond laughs, scratching the back of his head, "You know, Sasuke, she still─she still loves you─and I know it's difficult for you to accept that but please don't─just don't hurt her anymore."

He doesn't say anything, remaining impassive as he grunts, the blond only sighs, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"Is she home?"

He nods, "yeah, she had the day off today."

"Aa."

"I suppose you're going to see her now?"

"Hn."

Sasuke whirls around, not bothering with goodbyes because he's sure he'll see the idiot later today. However, before he can leave Naruto places a hand on his shoulder, pinning him in place.

"If you're not planning on giving her a shot," he sighs, "don't bother, I mean it."

He shakes free of the dobe's grip, giving a small wave as he heads down the stairs. He has no energy to be leaping around so he'll walk his way to the pinkette's apartment, since that's where her chakra is coming from.

He stands in front of her home, his heart is beating madly against his rib cage, but he supposes that's natural. After all, this girl and he had unfinished business, he had plenty of things he'd like to say to her, things he knows he owes her.

He doesn't need to knock because the door opens and she stands there looking flustered and shocked at him standing there.

"Sasuke-kun," she breathes out his name.

He can see the bags forming under her eyes, surely the product of over working since that's very much like Sakura. She's wearing a t-shirt and shorts, pink-haired tied up into a messy bun.

And Sasuke thinks she should be staring at him with nothing but anger─hatred. Instead, she smiles widely up at him, green eyes shinning light he's so used to. He knows he doesn't deserve such a reaction from her, but he can't help but feel more at home seeing her so flustered over him.

"When did you get back?"

"Today."

She blinks, before moving aside, "C-Come in, then."

He walks in, with purposeful steps until he's fully inside her small apartment. It's well-kept and clean, a few vases with flowers here and there, pictures of people he never knew that she knew. Overall that small apartment was very her.

"So, what brings you here?" she asks, padding towards the kitchen, "you hungry?"

"No."

She hums, shuffling around in her small kitchen and he watches. There is absolutely no sign of hatred anywhere in her, it's like she's completely neglecting everything he's ever done to hurt her. Why doesn't she hate him, why did she let him into her home with a bright smile on her lips?

"Would you like some tea, Sasuke-kun?" she asks softly.

He looks at her a small moment before clearing his throat,"Aa."

He watches as she places the kettle on the stove and hums softly as she prepares the tea she offered him. He wonders if she'd feel threatened if he approached her, would she still smile up at him with that blinding smile of hers? Will her eyes still look as vibrant? Would she push him away, yell at him, hit him?

After a few minutes he hears the kettle whistle and he blinks, his thoughts scattering away from him as he watches Sakura begin to pour the tea into small mugs.

She walks over with a smile on her lips and takes a seat right next to his, "Here."

"Thanks," he mumbles, taking the warm mug from her small hands.

They're soft, he notes, softer than he remembers them being. It's weird, normally in their line of work you wouldn't expect to find anyone like that, so delicate-looking, fragile, but she─she's always been different, it seems.

They sip their tea in silence, before she sighs softly, and it sounds so tired, so vulnerable that it makes his heart clench, and right off the bat he knows what she's going to say.

"Sasuke-kun, why are you here?"

"I came home."

"No, I meant here...with me," she whispers the last part.

"I'm not sure," he answers honestly, "i-it felt right."

He watches her shoulders tense slightly, fingers clenching and unclenching around the small mug. He wonders if she even knows how important she really is to him, and how she can make or break him, he wonders if she knows that he'd like nothing more than a chance.

"I'm not up for games," she tells him seriously.

"I don't play games," he replies truthfully, "you know that well."

She takes a deep breath in, eyes slipping closed, and he watches as her brow furrows in concentration before she opens her eyes once more. Vibrant green eyes stare right into his own apathetic onyx ones, and he notes that there's determination in them.

"I'm also not a baby making machine," she tells him seriously.

"Didn't say you were."

"Then I'll ask again, why are you here?"

He looks at her carefully, weighing in the answer that's at the tip of his tongue. He sits a little straighter and his eyes flash with determination that surely rivals her own.

"I missed you."

Her eyes widen, as if not believing he'd actually something like that, and to her of all people. He supposes he has a lot to do with her lack of faith in that area, but he'll ignore it for now.

She picks up her small mug and smiles at him. And he's surprised when he feels warmth encompass his whole heart, just as he's always felt around this girl. She doesn't say anything else about his blunt response, merely looks at him behind long lashes, and for once he wonders why he can't read her thoughts.

"It'll get cold if you don't drink it," she taunts before taking a small sip.

He does the same, "Aa."

They don't say anything else, until she says in a soft voice, "I missed you, too."

He's not surprised she would say something like that, she's Sakura, after all, and she's always been better at letting him know her feelings than he has been letting her know his feelings.

He gives her a very small, very rare smile, "Hn."

She giggles, holding her small mug in her hands. Her smile is a bright as he remembers from their childhood, filled with happiness, as if he's never hurt her. And those too-green eyes are locked right on him, like he means the world, like she's glad he's back, like she loves him.

"By the way," she hums, "happy birthday, Sasuke-kun."

He smirks, of course she'd remember that.

"Thank you."


	23. 25: i'll break them down

missed another day, but because I have a fever, so it cannot be helped─enjoy

**.**

**title: **i'll break them down

**summary: **I could be so good at loving you, but only if you told me to.

* * *

**day 25: **the other side of the wall

* * *

Haruno Sakura is different.

She's intelligent, someone you can have detailed conversations with, someone who won't bore you with topics about nothing. She has a smile that he's more than positive could rival his mother's own radiant smile.

More importantly, she doesn't gush at him.

Sasuke doesn't know how she does it, how she maintains calm, even when she knows who he is and what he looks like. Naruto says it's because Sakura wouldn't fall for someone as shallow as him, but Sasuke begs to differ.

He can see it in her eyes, although they hold happiness in them there's also a hint of sadness. Something happened to her, because she hasn't taken any invitations for dates, whatever happened is the sole reason as to why she hasn't even looked his way.

She's guarded.

He sees it as soon as he's too close, walls that tower around that big heart's of hers. And it's amazing how someone who looks so happy is merely only putting a small act on. She's trying to keep herself from falling apart, trying to make sure that no one ever hurts her again.

He knows he should keep away, and he would, honestly, if he wasn't so interested.

* * *

"Broken heart?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that'd be due to that pathetic ex-boyfriend of hers," she blonde snorts.

He doesn't know why he's asking all these questions, honestly, he looks rather desperate, but in truth, he is. Every second he spends in that girl's presence, he feels it. It's like nothing he's ever felt before, it's a feeling no other girl has ever given him.

That's why he wants to know how to break those walls.

"You know, she'll never give you the time of day," she sighs.

"Tch."

"Sasuke, be honest, why do you even want to date her?" Ino asks, "is it a blow to your male pride that she's the one girl that doesn't flail at your _gorgeous_ appearance?"

He rolls his eyes, "No."

"Then?"

"That's for me to know, for her to find out, and that's it," he tells her, "but tell me, do you think I stand a chance at breaking those walls of hers down?"

"Not a chance," she scoffs, before a smirk lifts on her lips, "but I suppose you've always been pretty good at getting over walls, right?"

He smirks, "Aa."

"Cosmos and chocolates," the blonde smirks, "you'll never go wrong with those."

* * *

Sasuke looks at the pinkette who sits across from him.

He's been working at it for months, and to be honest, it's been a very rough, painful process. He'll ask her on dates and she'll refuse with an uneasy expression in her eyes, and a fake smile on her lips.

He gives her presents, but she only laughs, telling him he doesn't have to work so hard for someone like her. He always contradicts her, albeit, in a few words, and she'll only give him one of those sad smiles, claiming that she has no interest in dating anyone so he should save himself the trouble.

He knows he should, he knows many guys give up around this time, but he just _can't_.

He doesn't want her to change, no, he doesn't want to hurt her. He just really wants her to accept him, accept everything he's willing to give to her.

He wants her to look his way, give him a real smile, he wants her to need him. He wants to break down those walls that make her so unhappy. He just wants her to be happy, happy with him, and just be the carefree Sakura he's heard so much of.

Doesn't she understand he has no intention of hurting her?

"Sakura."

She looks up from her thick textbook, a small smile on her lips, "Yes?"

"Let's go to the movies this friday," he says firmly.

She looks taken aback for a few moments before she clears her throat and smiles, and he dislikes how she thinks he doesn't notice how insincere it is.

"I can't, I have a study session with Ino," she tells him softly, "some other time."

"Ino is actually going on a date from what I heard," he chuckles, "what's your next excuse?"

He watches as a series of emotions flash in her eyes; shock, sadness, and then anger like he's never seen before. And he watches as she begins to gather all her things, stuffing them angrily into her backpack, lips in a sneer.

"You don't know me," she states,"don't pretend you do."

"Then tell me, why do you reject me?" he asks, "do I scare you?"

She looks at him carefully, "I don't have to explain anything to you."

"Why's that?" Sasuke asks, standing up with her, "why is it that you refuse to explain everything to me?"

"You don't know me," she repeats, "and you're better off not knowing me."

"I heard of this boyfriend that broke your heart," he tells her, "is he the reason you refuse me?"

She places her backpack on and smiles sadly, "I'm caught, now please refrain from talking to me ever again."

He moves quickly, trapping her against the table they were studying at. Her green eyes are wide, looking up at him as if he's done something unforgivable. He notes how stiff she is, and how her hands and gripping on to the edge tightly.

"I like you," he tells her firmly.

"Let. Me. Go," she grits her teeth, eyes narrowing into slits.

Sasuke smirks, repeating smoothly, "I like you."

"I don't like you," she snaps.

"I'm not like your ex-boyfriend, you should know that by now," he tells her.

"We're not having this conver-"

"I like you for you, you know, not 'cause you're pretty─no, beautiful," he smirks, "I like you because you're _you, _everything about you drives me crazy."

And he doesn't know why he's suddenly spilling his feelings like he is, it's not something he'd normally do. But as he looks into the pinkette's eyes he notes that those walls that have always been so impenetrable, are cracking.

"Sasuke-kun," she breathes out.

"Everything from the way you fiddle with your fingers when you're nervous, to the way, you sing when you think no one's looking," he tells her, "everything that makes you, you, every quirk, everything."

Her slender arms wrap around his neck, hugging him tightly, and he lets her. He breathes in her shampoo; coconut, and something else he knows is completely and utterly her. He wraps one arm around her waist and relishes in the small kiss she presses against his cheek.

"Fine," she whispers softly.

For now, he knows that's as good as it'll get for them, for now, he knows that's the only thing she'll be able to accept; his confession. The wall─although damaged─isn't broken, he knows that. It'll take much more than that for him to be able to tear it down.

However, he refuses to give up so easily, he'll break them all down.

"Thank you," he says firmly, holding her tighter.

And if he can't break them, he'll simply climb over them, either way he'll make it to the other side of that wall, come hell or high water.

She's going to fall in love with him, that he's sure of.

And he won't mind waiting for her either, he'll wait all he needs to. Until she's ready to look him in the eye and tell him that she's finally find it in herself to love him like he wants her to love him. Until she needs him, he'll be right there waiting for her.

And he won't ever leave her side.


	24. 28: not so bad

this one turned out a little long, I couldn't seem to get what I wanted across─it was frustrating.

.

**title: **not so bad

**summary: **just so long as you're mine

* * *

**day 28: **when the power fails

* * *

She screams out in frustration.

She places her hands at the edge of the counter, gripping it tightly, keeping herself at arms length. Her head is bowed, long pink strands creating a curtain all around her.

She's officially done with today, and everything that's happened up until this point.

First she has the stupid Hokage barging into the hospital, asking─well, it sounded more demanding─that she take the day off and join him for ramen, because he's Naruto, the Hokage, and apparently he has a say in everything.

She had done everything to tell him that she was too busy to "take the day off for ramen" as he had put it. The idiot wouldn't even leave when she asked security to escort him out, claiming that as Hokage he could be where he pleases when he pleases. Then to make it all worse, Sai, the one in charge of Naruto, dropped out of nowhere, just as always, and captured Naruto like he was some deranged animal that had escaped, thus causing this gigantic scene that she had to take care of later.

Then to make matters even worse than that, she had forgotten her umbrella back home. So, she was forced to walk home in the pouring rain. Not to mention, now that she was all dry and okay, and bathed, she felt fuzzy, and being a doctor and all, she knew the tale tale signs of a cold.

And to finalize such a crappy day, the storm had caused her power to go out. She had been in the middle of preparing herself some food in the microwave, the last thing she had that was cook-able, and then just like that the lights when out.

So now, she was in complete darkness, spent, starving, upset, angry, and quite possible sick.

"Could this day get any worse?" she asks out to nobody.

She feels her phone buzz in her pocket, and with an annoyed sigh she reached for it. She doesn't bother with checking the caller ID, before answering with a clipped, "Hello."

"Sakura."

She groans, and kicks, and screams mentally, because she just had to open her big, fat mouth. Of course, this day could get worse, it could get absolutely _fucking _worse. And leave it to this asshole to call her when she's already having a bad day, she doesn't have it in her to take his annoyances today.

"Sasuke," she grits her teeth, "is there something you need?"

"Are your lights out."

She seethes, never a question.

"Yes," she huffs, "but why does that matter, and how did you know?"

"Naruto phoned me, said it was possible, he is the Hokage you know," she can almost hear his smirk.

Arrogant bastard.

"Oh, of course he knows," she laughs forcefully, "well, excuse me, I'm go-"

"Sakura, I'm not comfortable with you being in your home like that."

She almost scoffs at him, surely he doesn't think she's an idiot to fall for that? That bastard is just looking for an excuse, she mentally seethes, of course he is, he's a opportunist, and now, when she's all starving and vulnerable, of course he'd phone with such a stupid thing.

That's the kind of cunning bastard she knows Uchiha Sasuke to be.

"Oh, I'm fine," she rolls her eyes, "don't worry you little heart over me."

"I'd feel better if you stayed over at my house."

Green eyes narrow at the wall in front of her, house? He doesn't own a house, the idiot, the stupid, rich idiot owns a mansion, a mansion way too big for someone who lives on his own.

"No."

"Sakura."

"I said no, end of story," she grits her teeth.

"Tch."

The line goes dead and for a split second she relishes in being able to win an argument against that pompous git. She's so happy to be rid of him that she almost starts dancing on the stop, the fuzziness of her head makes her re-think that.

There's a (way too)loud knock at her door, and she winces, almost dropping her phone. She eyes the door carefully, there are two possible things that could happen.

She can open that door and find Sasuke, or one of his men standing there ready to take her home since she refused to do it willingly, or it could be Naruto, holding up an Ichiraku bag and a promise of some warm dinner.

The possibility of it being the second one makes her head for the door.

She yanks it open, a grin on her lips, hoping to see blond hair, and blue eyes. Instead, she finds Uchiha Sasuke standing there, a black umbrella hovering over him, and a smirk on his lips.

Her heart beats a bit faster, and she mentally scolds herself, _get it together. _

"Why are you here?" she asks, regarding him carefully.

"I'm here to escort you to my vehicle, since you refuse to do so on your own," he says innocently, but she can hear the annoyance in it, "go get a bag ready."

She blinks, before her eyes narrow,"Drop dead, Sasuke."

She hurries to slam the door in his face and go to bed, but he places his foot in between the opening and the door, grinning at her smugly when she reopens it. She opens her mouth to yell at him before he pushes his way inside, closing his umbrella.

"Rudeness doesn't suit my image of you, Sakura," he rolls his eyes.

"Leave."

He places his umbrella in the umbrella stand, slipping his shoes off and walking towards her with a small smile on his lips.

"Why are you so upset with me?" he asks, "why is it that things changed between us?"

"Sasuke. Leave, I mean it," she snaps, green eyes narrowing.

"Talk to me."

There's a part of her that's begging her to talk to him, to tell him what happened, fix things between them. The other part, tells her to tell him, only to shove it in his face how much of an awful man and boyfriend he truly is.

She bites her tongue, she'd rather not have him question her, twist her words like he's always done. She just doesn't want this man to break her resolve down till' it's nothing again, she couldn't bear the thought.

After being with him for a whole two years, an actual relationship, not the same old friendship they've shared since they were children, she had seen why it was that he never dated anyone to begin with.

This man, for as much as he claimed to loathe it, was a ladies man, loved by many, many girls, and she absolutely refused to take the backseat to any of them. She refused to think of all the girls who approached him as "whores", she refused to become narrow-minded in an effort to keep him around. If he wanted to flirt, to be that ladies man every magazine and tabloid shape him to be, so be it, she just wasn't going to stick around to watch.

"Go home."

"I'm serious," he says, looking at her carefully, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "you tell me you love me, love me more than anything─then you're gone, just like that."

She frowns, "Sasuke."

"I need to know what made you turn around and run from me, when you promised you wouldn't leave me, ever."

She looks at him carefully, searching his bottomless depths carefully. She tries to find the telltale signs of anything that suggest he doesn't mean a word he's saying─he finds absolutely nothing that contradicts his words.

It annoys her.

"I'm not up for discussing this."

"Tell me."

She watches the desperation that seeps its way into his eyes, and she finds herself momentarily stunned. She had always thought this break-up meant nothing to the top-notch CEO, that he was cold and distant, and her leaving meant nothing when he head women at his side every second of the day.

"You're not mine alone," she finally blurts out, her eyes widening at her own words.

"What?"

She blinks, before her eyes narrow, determination filing her system, "every day, Sasuke, every day I felt like I was in a fruitless competition for your attention."

He doesn't say anything, merely stands there, eyes watching her carefully, reading her like he's always done in the past.

"Sasuke, I always felt inferior to those women, especially the ones you were in past relationships with, they're different, different from me, those women you dated, or slept with, they were the type who wear the highest, most expensive heels in stock, they wear beautiful form-fitting dresses, they're beautiful women who can flaunt money around like it's nothing, women that belong in your class, and I─how on earth can I compete with people like that?"

Her head falls forward, and she curses herself for allowing him to know something she had kept in the dark for so long.

Truth be told, she never thought she'd ever tell him that this was something that constantly circled around in her brain. That she had all these thoughts on why she would never be good enough for the likes of Uchiha Sasuke.

For one, she reminds herself, Sasuke has never made the effort to introduce her to his family. He has never made the effort to let people know there is a woman in his life. He always kept her hidden, like some dirty little secret you're ashamed of.

Meanwhile, he'd make headlines with beautiful blondes, beautiful green eyes women, women that belonged in his class. All of those headlines were painful to read in bold letters in magazines, taunting her that she'd never be considered his girlfriend, that all these women made her take a backseat.

"Sakura."

"Enough." she snaps, shoulders shaking, "go home, Sasuke."

"Come home with me."

She tenses, she remembers moving in with him, she remembers the nights spent laying down together talking about a the endless possibilities of their future. She remembers him telling her his deepest fears, his darkest secrets. Kisses, and his soft touch, she remembers how he never called it his own when he would tell her they were leaving, he would always say 'let's go home', as if she truly belonged there with him.

"Go home, Sasuke."

But she's long since woken up from such a beautiful dream. She's seen what is possible and she's learned about what isn't. And Sasuke, he's different, different form her, they're on different sides of the puzzle, two pieces that would never belong together.

That's what she's always known them to be.

"Sakura."

She turns away from him, walking towards her room, "I don't expect to see you again, Sasuke."

There's something definite about her words, and she bites her lip to keep her sobs in. She feels a sting in her eyes and she knows she'll cry once he leaves, she'll cry for what she's lost, and she'll cry for what they would've had, had he not been who he was, had she not been who she was.

However, she never hears the door open and shut, instead she feels someone at her back. She tenses when his arms wrap around her, pressing his head into her shoulder.

"You're so stupid."

She feels the tears begin to gather quicker, and God, she needs to get out of here, she needs to be away from his man. She doesn't want him to see her at her most vulnerable point, she doesn't need him of all people to see her like this.

"Let go."

"You're stupid for believing that those women have anything on you, stupid for thinking I care about money, you're so stupid if you think I'd ever chose anyone over you."

She freezes in his arms, heart beating madly against her rib cage. She doesn't turn, doesn't say anything to the words she'd never thought she'd hear coming out of his mouth. What does she say to something like that?

"So, what now, are you going to keep avoiding me, do you hate me?"

She feels him grip her arms tightly, whirling her around to face him. There's an intensity in his eyes that she thinks she's only seen when he's working on something, or when he's having an argument with Naruto.

It's a look she never thought she'd get from him.

Slowly she draws her hand upwards, brushing away his bangs, watching as his eyes soften just like they always have. She feels every single inch of rage just drain from her body, and suddenly she finds herself right where she's always been.

"Enough of this," he stares at her carefully,"I'll get you out of the contract and you can come back home."

"Sasuke, I-"

"You've been gone for three months, Sakura," he chuckles, and it's so weak, nothing like the strong, bossy Uchiha Sasuke she knows,"enough already."

"I can't just move out on a whim, Sasuke," she mutters, "I don't want to repeat the same mistakes."

"No mistakes," there's so much promise in his voice, "come home."

He buries his face in the crock of her neck, and she bites her lower lip lightly. He breathes in and she freezes, and she'd like to run away, to stick to everything she said, but how can she? How can she just walk away like that? Especially when this man was the only man she's ever truly loved.

"I need time."

His head raises and he presses his lips against hers in a haste. She almost laughs because this is the Sasuke she knows, the impulsive one that takes what he wants, regardless of anything else. He doesn't allow anyone to tell him no, the one who makes a opportunity when given nothing.

"Let's go home."

"No," she whispers breathlessly against his lips.

His brow creases and she notes that there's a small pout on his lips. She knows moving back in is something she swore she wouldn't do, something that could end badly. She's well aware that this decision can lead her to another mistakes, because they're Sasuke and Sakura, and problems seem to follow them everywhere they go.

For now, she reasons, they'll work them out together, if he's willing to give her 50, then she'll do the same in turn.

She watches as the pout remains on her lips, before she rolls her eyes and grabs his face, pulling him towards her in one quick movement. She doesn't allow him time to react, doesn't give him the chance to say anything. She simply kisses him like he means the world─and he does─and drives him crazy, just as he's always done with her.

And this, she muses, tugging lightly on his hair as he falls back with her on top of him, isn't so bad. So, forgetting her earlier worries she kisses the boy she more or less loves, the rain falling rapidly outside, with absolutely no power in her home.

_This_, this is what she needs.


	25. 29: keep you close

argh, i re-wrote this about a hundred times before I was semi satisfied with what I wrote.

**.**

**title:** i'll keep you close

**summary: **He'd always known that she would be different, that she wold be the one he needed

* * *

**day twenty-nine: **tattoo

* * *

Haruno Sakura.

She has been the one and only woman who has managed to capture his attention _and_ keep it. No other woman has managed to keep him steady, to make him commit, but this woman─this loud, and incredibly annoying woman has managed it.

He watches her carefully out of the corner of his eye.

She's sleeping soundlessly, her chest rising and falling with every intake of air. The wrinkled, and messy white sheets that cover her otherwise naked body, shift slightly when she shifts.

He lays back, thinking of how he enjoys running his hands down every single ich of her. The one woman who he's never gotten tired of kissing, or touching, the one woman who he'd love to wake up to every morning like this.

He shifts, moving to his side as he takes her in. Her head is turned to him, cheek pressed against her pillow, her mouth is slightly parted, and he can hear her intakes of air.

He runs a hand down the side of her body, and smirks.

She's something else, and he had known that ever since he met her two years ago. She had been the first to not flaunt herself at him. In fact, the stubborn woman had claimed that he was nothing short of arrogant, with a few missing brain cells, not to mention that she'd never be interested.

And when he had leaned down to capture her lips, you know, prove her wrong, she had snarled and swung her right fist at him. It had connected with his jaw, and the pain that came with it had been so unbearable.

That's when he had decided this woman was one he had to have─she needed to be his, in every sense of the word.

So he would show up, with flowers, with anything he knew she'd like. At first, she had been reluctant, claiming she'd rather not end up on a magazine as Uchiha Sasuke's brand new 'whore'. But after a while, he began to tear down those steel walls she had kept up.

And before he knew it she accepted an invitation to dinner.

One date turned into two, and then six, and before he knew it he was officially dating the pink-haired doctor. Then as time went on they began taking even bigger steps together, moving in had been the biggest one to date.

And he wanted to purpose soon, soon meaning at his family's dinner party next week.

He wanted to marry her because this woman had made herself become a necessity in his life. She had become the air he breathes. Almost like a tattoo that he knew would never come off, she was their, like the air, she was engraved into him.

He wanted to keep her with him forever.

He runs his hand through her messy locks, watching as her face scrunches up before she opens her eyes slightly. Her green eyes move about, before they land on him, and he watches as they snap open, a pretty pink blush forming on her cheeks.

"Sasuke-kun."

"Hn."

She yawns softly, before her smiling brightly at him, "you're up early."

"Aa."

"Were you thinking about something?"

"Hn."

"About what?" she giggles, pulling the sheet tighter against her.

He doesn't respond, merely looks into her green eyes. This woman, this woman, who's become everything in his life. He will marry her, no matter what gets thrown in his way, he'll marry her, he'll keep her engraved into his skin as if she was a tattoo.

He'll keep her with him at all costs, because he loves her.

"Nothing," he finally says cooly.

"Hmph, you're no fun," she pouts.

He smirks before wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him. She squeaks out in surprise before she begins to giggle. He rolls his eyes playfully and places his chin on top of her head.

"I love you, Sasuke-kun," she whispers.

He kisses the top of her head, not needing to say the words because she knows his feelings well, she knows him well.

"Aa."


	26. 30: back to square one

okay so, writing this one made me a bit emotional.

**.**

**title: **back to square one

**summary: **little by little my heart is losing hope, losing it's voice.

* * *

**day 30: **it all comes back to this

* * *

She's never been doubtful.

She always knew that things would be this way in the very end. That even if someday she'd try to run away from it all, from him, he'd be there, chasing right after her. He would catch her time and time again, no matter the circumstance, she's aware of that now.

Even when he returned, the same cold indifference in him, she knew. The moment she had decided it'd be best to just be his friend, his teammate, because he'd never want anything with her, in the back of her mind she knew it all along.

There was no escaping him.

It was an annoying notion, the fact that he was someone she couldn't shake off. He was always there, haunting her with those eyes of hers, eyes that have always been able to read her as if she was an open book.

It made her sick to her stomach that this man held such an impact on her. After all, since his return he had made no move to see her, to be around her in general. He kept his distance, only spared her a few glances, as if he couldn't care less that she was still there. She sometimes felt that his distance, and his coldness were nothing but a response to that confession she gave him all those years ago.

That's why she found a new resolve in her to try harder to forget him.

That's why she accepted a dinner invitation from Inuzuka Kiba, why she hadn't so much as given a second thought to the invitation. She had dressed up as best she could, begging herself to fall for someone else.

It didn't work.

At the end of the day, she was still attached to him like a fool. It was when Kiba looked her dead in the eye, chocolate-brown eyes filled with determination, a single demand leaving his lips.

"Be my girlfriend."

She had snapped back to reality then, and had taken a step back to asses the situation, because it was impossible. Impossible to look at Kiba in the eye and tell him that she'd date him, she couldn't, not when she had someone else in her heart.

That's why she declined, telling him that she was still in love with someone else.

He wasn't mad, nor was he annoyed with her, instead he gripped her hand tightly, running the pad of his thumb across her knuckles. He had given her a heartbreaking smile, and a 'good luck' for her to carry with her, because he said he wanted to see her smile, he wanted her to be happy, even if it was because of someone else.

Now she was left walking home alone, cursing herself for letting _him _get to her again. She was annoyed with herself, because even with her new resolve she still found a way to be in love with the likes of _him. _It was always him, himhim_him_, and that made her frustrated beyond belief, because she was in love with the last person who'd ever want to be with her.

"Sakura."

She stops walking, her heart starting to beat wildly in her chest. She tries to quell the rising hope she has in her heart, because he's always been good at proving her wrong in that aspect.

He's always made her know that between them something like 'hope' doesn't exist─for them there is no 'hope'.

She grips the end of her dress, turning to look at him carefully. She expects to see him with his usual indifference, hands stuffed in his pockets, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but here.

It comes with great surprise when he stands there, hands clenched at his side. His jaw is tense, and his eyes, they give away so much emotion─emotion she never knew could be directed her way. And he's only short feet away, and how she'd love to run over to him, hug him and promise him the world.

But she knows better.

"Sasuke-kun," she laughs nervously, "you're out late."

"I-I was training," he clears his throat.

"Hm, that's nice," she smiles, and it's so fake, and she hates how he makes her feel -_hates _it.

They stand in silence and she wonders what's going on in his head. This is the first time he's called out to her, why would he do that if he wants nothing to do with her? Why does he always managed to keep her firmly placed right next to him if he has no intention of reaching out to he? Why are they always coming back to square one, without moving forward?

"Well, I have work in the morning, so I'll see-"

"Kiba," he cuts through her sentence, never listening, _never._

She blinks at him, wondering why he speaks his name out of all people, "What about him?"

"Why with him."

She freezes, green eyes widening as she looks at him, and he─he's staring at her with absolutely no regret in his eyes. That look tells her that he wants to know why she decided to go to dinner with Kiba, he wants to know why she chose him when-

_No. _She mentally scolds herself for allowing her thoughts to go down that road. Thinking that way has only ever put her in a tight spot, it's only made her feel hurt, it's only shattered her.

"W-what do you mean?" she asks tentatively.

To her surprise, he doesn't brush her off, he doesn't pretend he was only kidding in asking the question. His eyes harden and there's something fierce in them, something she's only ever seen when he's fighting, there' determination, something that's never been aimed at her.

"Why did you go out with him."

She grips the end of her dress tighter, wanting the ground to swallow her whole. Here she is, standing in front of the man she's never forgotten, and he stands there, looking like she's never seen him, over a date she had with another man.

"He asked."

And she's surprised at the words that leave her mouth, because even she can hear the spite in them. 'He asked', she repeats in her mind, eyes firmly holding his own, 'something you've never done'.

He takes a step forward, eyes remaining locked with hers, giving her no indication that he caught the meaning of her words before. She watches as he comes towards her, stopping when he's directly in front of her.

She realizes then, that it wouldn't matter who asked, even then, if this man asked second, she'd run straight to him, she'd always run straight to him.

No matter how many times she'll think she's running away for once, he'll stand right in front of her. Dark eyes telling her that's merely running in circles, that she can never truly just walk, much less run away from what she feels for him.

It will always come back to this; to being hopeless in love with him, ready to give him her all at the snap of his fingers.

She will always love him, him alone.

"Sakura, who am I?"

Her head ducks, refusing to meet his eyes.

"You're Uchiha Sasuke," she responds in a hushed voice.

She reminds herself that his name, and who he's always been is something she'll never forget. He's always been the boy with a broken heart, a dark past, and the inability to love her, she's never once forgotten that.

"Then you should know that I don't ask."

Her heart hammers wildly in her chest, and she wonders if it'll burst any second. Here he is, doing what he's always done, keeping her firmly there at his side, and she, she wants nothing more than to do just that; stay by side.

_'I'll do anything, just ask, just tell me you want me there'. _

"Sasuke-kun-"

"I _take_."

Her mouth closes, eyes widening at the ground beneath her. She feels his hand come up, pushing her chin upwards and allowing her gaze to meet his. She doesn't know what she's supposed to say, because he's managed to render her speechless, because this─this is the Sasuke-kun she's always wanted to know, the one he's kept hidden for so long.

And this, she muses, this is something she's always wanted to see, words like those are ones that only the Sasuke-kun in her dreams tells her. This is what she wants, she decides, she wants him, just him, unconditionally, in every way possible, she wants him.

Her eyes flash with determination as she opens her mouth to speak, "Then take."

His own eyes widen momentarily before there's a very faint, almost invisible blush on his cheeks. He allows his forehead to rest against hers, and she smiles softly at the look in his eyes, eyes that have always been so cold, hard, distance, now that she's looking at them their soft, they're filled with something she never thought Sasuke-kun felt for her.

Love.

"Say it."

She looks at him carefully, searching his eyes for any signs that prove that he's lying, but she laughs, because she should know better than that. Sasuke-kun, for as long as she's known him, never says anything he doesn't mean, doesn't ask for something he doesn't want.

So, she takes a deep breath and gives him a real smile, his smile, breathing out the words that have saved him time and time again.

"I love you."


	27. 31: all my life

kind of disappointed with the outcome of this prompt, i couldn't get my ideas to flow the way i wanted them to so, this is as good as it'll get for today, sorry guys! this marks the end of sasusaku month and i wanna personally thank every single one of you who reviewed and favorited/alerted this anthology it means the world to me, so thank you, thank you,_ thank you_.

also, i know a lot of you had ideas and things you wanted to see written and i apologize for not being able to get to them, you're welcome to pm and maybe i can get your story out as a separate one-shot.

again, thank you.

.

**title: **all my life

**summary: **sasuke and three wishes that got him to where he is today.

* * *

**day 31: **three wishes

* * *

The rain falls down, and it goes ignored by him.

Right now every inch of his body is in pain, cuts and bruises he's sure will leave marks later one. At the moment however, he couldn't care less about what tomorrow will bring. Right now, he's only focused on the present, and what it's brought him.

He ignores the blood that trails down his face, ignores everything but the person laying on the ground before him.

He's dead.

A long time goal, a _wish_ of his, something he had hoped to accomplish after so much time spent trying and fighting. He rejected everything he had for this sole moment right here, to see his brother like this.

Dead─he's dead─and it's been a long time coming.

However, despite the goal being accomplished, despite finally avenging his clan like he had planned from the beginning he can't bring himself to feel happy, to feel _pleased. _This, whatever he feels, he's foreign to it, perhaps it's a feeling he hasn't felt for a very long time.

He thinks back to the words a pinkette gave him when he had explained her sole purpose for living, what he would do and why he would do this.

_"It'll never bring you happiness."_

The blood falls over his lips and he tastes rust, and he falls, falls on to the ground and lies down next to his _dead_ brother, and he thinks it's unfair that the end result has him feeling this way.

She was right it seemed, this wish of his was nothing more than a _mistake_.

He keeps his eyes on the sky above him and wonders why things like this only happened to him. Why it was that he was always on the receiving end of bad luck, and why it was he never listened to reason like he should've.

This stupid wish killed his brother, this stupid wish made him blind to everything around him. It made him ignore what was right and what was wrong, it made him plummet six feet under and now he was alone.

Just like in the beginning.

* * *

His heart is beating madly against his rib cage.

His steps are rushed, trying to get to where he needs to be quickly, all fatigue from his previous mission gone. It's replaced with the nothing but nerves─nerves and worry, because he cares, and he wants them to be okay.

He comes to halt in front of the door, he takes note of his surname on the door and slides it open slowly, hesitantly.

The room is quiet, lit up by a very faint light by the bedside, he enters slowly. His feet lead him to the other side of the bed, a small plastic box is there.

There's a part of him that's telling him all of this is luck at best─a fluke at most. Telling him that someone like him, someone who's had nothing but misery in his life will _never_ deserve something like this, something so easy, something that makes him happy.

The other side promises that this is the beginning of something great, of what he's been waiting for his whole life. That this single moment will change him, and from now on his heart will feel whole─things will get better.

He peers inside and watches as bright green eyes stare back up at him.

It makes his heart beat faster, and his lips quirk up into a smile, and it's ridiculous how he can feel it. He's positive that his smile has never been like this, at least, it hasn't been this way since what happened to his family.

He reaches inside and gently picks up the small child lying inside. There's a sudden warmth that spreads throughout his body as he holds the infant─his son─for the first time.

He holds the infant close, wanting this feeling inside of him to stay, wanting moments like this more often in his life. The child shifts in his arms and he marvels in the fact that his son's eyes look just like-

"Sasuke-kun?"

He lifts his head and watches as Sakura shifts in her bed, sitting up slowly. He walks over to her, frowning at how tired she looks. He hands her the child and sits right next to her on the bed, watching as she smiles down at the infant─_their_ son, he reminds himself.

"Isn't he beautiful?" she asks, a smile on her lips.

He nods his head once, "Aa."

She giggles, bringing the infant closer to her, cooing and giggling as she holds him. Sasuke takes in the atmosphere, and the feeling of being here, with his child and with the mother of his child, his wife.

He realizes this is his second chance at the family he lost so long ago.

His second wish had been to restore his clan, to recreate what he had lost. He had wanted to bring his clan a peace of mind, to give it the glory that it had lost.

Looking at things now, this had _nothing_ to do with restoring his clan.

Things are different, because he can restore a clan with any woman, _any_, but he can't actually have a family without her. Sakura, he realizes, is the glue that's kept him together all this time, she's the reason he's here, the reason he now has his own family to protect, look after, and love.

She's given him a reason to keep on going.

"Sasuke-kun, come here."

He looks at her, watching as she shifts to her left, creating enough space for him to slip in. He doesn't hesitate, slipping his shoes off and rolling on to his side to look at her and his son.

His new family, all thanks to her.

* * *

"I said no."

"Well, I didn't ask you so who cares?"

Sasuke pinches the bridge of his nose, this is the second time this happens today and he's already fed up with it. Honestly, he'd much rather just use some silencing jutsu because this was not going to work out for him anymore─_sadly_, his wife would castrate him.

"Look, _idiot_," the pinkette rolls her eyes, "my friend, is _not _interested so back off."

"You know who else isn't interested?"

"Who?" she barks.

"Minato-_kun_."

"Papa!"

Sasuke groans when his daughter bolts into his office, wearing a look of pure irritation on her face. Sasuke muses that she looks very much like Sakura when Naruto says something inappropriate, he smirks.

"What."

"Tell Daisuke-niichan, that I don't like Minato-ku-_san,_" she stammers, cheeks flushing pink.

"No dating, Tsubaki," he says simply.

"Otosan," he hears from the hallway.

Sasuke sighs, running a hand through his hair, he's far too old for these kinds of things. Tsubaki plops down in one of the chairs in front of his desk, arms crossed, and he knows he'll have to deal with her rants in short minutes.

He watches as his eldest pokes his head into the study, "I'm home."

He nods his head, signaling for him to come inside─the one child who actually listens to his rules. Itachi walks in looking calm, a small smile on his lips as he seats in the seat next to Tsubaki's.

"How'd it go?"

"Good," he grins, "it was a complete success, Naruto-sama we did really well."

"As expected from my son," Sasuke comments, smirking at him.

"Tochaaaaan!"

He watches as Tsubaki's lips form a nasty sneer, and he can see the murderous intent in her eyes. He sighs, she's very much like her mother, only to add in Uchiha blood, it makes her quite deadly when she's angry.

"In my office," he calls out.

His second oldest son bolts in grinning from ear to ear as he walks towards the desk. He frowns when he notes that there's no chairs left, he merely sits down on the arm rests on Itachi's chair.

"Eh, you're home, Itachi-nii?"

"Yeah, returned a few minutes ago," he nods.

"Hmph, I'm glad you're back Itachi-oniichan," Tsubaki huffs, "Daisuke-oniichan is _annoying_."

"Just because I told you Minato isn't interested?" Daisuke laughs, "you're such a loser."

He buries his face in his hands when Tsubaki begins yelling, promising to murder Daisuke if he keeps talking to her about nonsense such as her liking Minato, Itachi in the background trying to calm his younger siblings but failing because he's too much of a gentle child for that to actually work with his extremely loud siblings.

"My, I was wondering where everyone went."

Sakura walks in holding a book in her hands, and he tilts his head to read the title. He scoffs when he reads the medical name sprawled on it, why would she bring that thick book in here? Not a single one of his kids is interested in the medical field, he smirks, all his kids will be exceptional ninja in battle, not in the medical field.

Sakura will just have to live with that.

"Okasan," Itachi gets up, walking over to her and embracing her.

"Welcome home," she grins, hugging him tightly, "I brought you what you asked for."

Sasuke gapes when his child grins from ear to ear, holding the thick medical text-book in his hands as if it was the most amazing thing on this planet.

"Thank you," he grips it tightly, "I'm going to study then, later."

His son bolts out of the room and Sakura gives him a smug grin, so, she's converted one of them over to the medical field, and his oldest no less. He makes a mental note to confront her about this later.

"Ugh," Tsubaki pushes Daisuke out-of-the-way, "I've got a mission to worry about, bye-bye, momma and papa."

Daisuke yawns, placing his arms behind his back as he begins to walk out the room, "See ya, I got a date with the pretty girl from the book store."

The door closes behind him and Sakura grins as she walks towards him. Sasuke looks up at her as she rounds his desk and moves to sit on his lips.

"I blame you," he says sternly, "three was too much in the end."

"Oh, be quiet," she laughs, "you love them."

"I do," he nods, "all of them, I love you, too, you know."

She buries her face in the crook of his neck, "I know."

"Thank you."

"Are you happy?"

He doesn't move as he registers her question in his mind, his lips form a small smile. Happiness, something he never thought he deserved, something he wished for ever since Itachi killed their family.

Happiness she brought back to him.

"I am."

"Then I'm happy, too."

He pulls her closer, eyes shutting, silently thanking her, because she's his reason. The reason everything turned out for the best. The reason he has a beautiful family, two sons and a daughter, a wife to come home to every single day─he's happy, he smiles, _she's_ made him happy.

And that's enough for him.

* * *

_End._


End file.
